


Bro Bonding in B-Sharp Major

by BeautyButterBae



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Anal Fingering, Blow Jobs, Bro bonding, But I might expand it to something more worthwhile, Chatting & Messaging, First Time, Friends With Benefits, Homoeroticism, M/M, Masturbation, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Mutual Masturbation, Mutual Pining, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Public Display of Affection, Skype, This was originally going to be, Webcam/Video Chat Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-13
Updated: 2016-09-09
Packaged: 2018-05-20 01:30:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 75,146
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5987536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeautyButterBae/pseuds/BeautyButterBae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If he would ever have to point to the most horny-and-single-17-year-old thing he’s ever done, Bokuto would certainly consider his most recent chat logs as a suitable candidate for that title.</p>
<p>(Aka Bokuto would have never imagined that late-night chats with Kuroo about life, jerking off and deepening the bonds between bros would lead him to Skype sex with Akaashi, but alas he wasn’t one to complain.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I honestly don’t know how this fic happened.
> 
> My overworked brain going on two week-long holidays certainly forces me to turn my most random fantasies into written reality.
> 
> But hey, I’m officially part of the BokuAka hell now, and I’ll be glad to meet my fellow sinners. ^^
> 
> With that said, hope you enjoy this odd little smut fic! :D
> 
> (Oh, and don't ask me about the title. That's what happens when I get 'creative' at 2 am.)
> 
> Minor sidenote: I was editing and formating this at 2 am so if you see any mistakes within 24 hours of publication, you know why.

Bokuto was never good with words, but he was quite alright with puns. And random, erratic puns at that, alike Bokuto's entire existence. Hence, when a certain raven-haired Nekoma captain informed him of a certain unusual practice on their Facebook chat one night, he could hardly stop himself from exclaiming his surprise in nothing else, than a terrible pun.

"Brosturbation?!" Bokuto cried in shock, reading and rereading the word he had sent to Kuroo in their digital conversation, still dumbfounded after learning of the odd phenomenon. The next instant, he was covering his mouth with his hands, silently praying for his parents not to wake up at the sudden exclamation. He didn't even want to begin thinking how he would explain the origin of the word that just escaped his mouth. Listening for footsteps, he only shook his head and returned to the conversation, hearing the ping from Kuroo alerting him of a new message.

00:15

You COULD call it that lol

Tho you're totally making it sound weirder than it really is

Well, how else would you call it?

00:16

What's a better phrase for two bros jerking off together?

00:17

Bro bonding

Is what they call it at my place ;)

00:18

Right…

Totally inconspicuous, huh?

00:19

ABS

O

Lute

Ly

00:20

Props for the hard word there btw, didn't think you'd know what it meant :*

00:21

You'd be surprised :*

\---

Bokuto smirked to himself, shaking his head. Kuroo didn't lose his sharp edge even as it got late. On the contrary, like the true sly cat he was – nightfall only meant his senses were heightened. But how did they get to that 'bro bonding' part again?

Bokuto ran his hand through his hair. A few hours earlier, he chose to spend the warm, early autumn Friday evening half-sitting on his bed, dicking around the net with his laptop resting on his thighs, as he usually did when he couldn't find anything better to do. Somewhere between 10 and 11 pm a conversation had sprung up between him and Kuroo, and it somehow ended up as an extensive discussion of various masturbation techniques. If he would ever have to point to the most horny-and-single-17-year-old thing he's ever done, he would certainly consider their most recent chat logs as a suitable candidate for that title.

The whole topic of 'bro bonding' was initiated by none other than Kuroo.

23:57

But hey, listen to this

Ever thought of getting off with another guy?

23:58

Like having him watch me jerk off and me watching him? :o

Yeah, basically

23:59

Possibly touching each other a bit

\---

Bokuto suspended his hands over the keyboard. Did he ever think of it? It didn't even sound that bad, but there was one valid concern on his mind.

00:00

Meh, I never thought of it seriously

Besides

Isn't that, you know…

00:01

What? Gay?

Lol

Not really

00:02

Unless you start confessing your love for him as you cum or some shit like that

But otherwise, I heard it's pretty chill

You heard?

00:03

This a trend recently or something? XD

00:04

And just how many guys discuss their sexual adventures with you?

You'd be surprised. ;)

\---

Just at which point in time Kuroo became a sex guru for Nekoma (and possibly other schools and fellow volleyball teams?) Bokuto wouldn't even venture to guess. Before he could ponder this mystery for a longer while though, he heard the familiar notification of his chat once more.

00:05

But yeah, it seems pretty poplar lately

Really? But why? What's so special about it?

00:06

Dude, it's super hot?

AND you get to deepen your bro bond?

AND you can just relax and laugh about it later?

0 consequences?

Bonus features: you get to compare your techniques and learn something new about yourself and your mate

Literally NO downsides?

00:07

What ISN'T special about it?

\---

Bokuto had to admit Kuroo made very valid points. No consequences, and the thrill of doing something seemingly taboo, something intimate with a close friend who wouldn't judge you? Bokuto was more convinced with each message. He felt his crotch gain some heat, and it was hardly the effect of the warm fan in his laptop.

00:08

Uh, you got any sources I could browse on that?

\---

Bokuto was slowly beginning to realize how weak he was to sexual perversion. A few arguments and he was willing to try out something he never even considered before. With Kuroo's next message, the ace of Fukurodani couldn't shake off the feeling that he was smiling that evil cat-like grin of his behind the other end of the screen.

00:09

Ohohoho

Have I captured your interest?

Hmmm?

Bokuto, dear?

00:10

Say what you want, I want info before I make any decisions :p

\---

Oh, he was making _decisions_ now? When did this conversation escalate to this level again? Bokuto shook the questions out of his head. It wouldn't hurt to learn a bit more, would it?

00:11

Allllrighty~

Good to see you on the dark side ;)

\---

In the next message, Kuroo linked him to an unfamiliar site, under the very fitting domain of 'bro bonding'. Bokuto opened the page in a new tab and started slowly reading through the article. It all seemed to be relevant information, but his gaze lingered longest on the explanations of the benefits of male mutual masturbation to broship status. By the end of the article, he was half hard and ridden of doubts. Now how to tell Kuroo without setting off the sarcastic beast inside him…

Suddenly a new portmanteau dawned in his mind, and he felt as if leaving the word unspoken and unwritten could jeopardize the fate of humanity.

00:14

OMG, SO THIS IS

BROSTURBATION

\---

He exclaimed the word the moment he hit enter on his keyboard.

Seven minutes later, he wondered how he should bring the topic up again, and perhaps _subtly_ suggest some utilization of this new knowledge. Skype was an option after all, even if they couldn't physically be in one room.

00:22

Sooooo

You ever done this before?

00:23

Sorry, man

Not gonna happen

\---

Yeah, smooth, Bokuto. Really fucking smooth.

00:24

But why not? :/

\---

Bokuto wasn't particularly insistent on trying it out with Kuroo, but he couldn't help wondering why the hell would he teach him of all of this if it weren't for his own sake. Or perhaps it was some new form of sadistic play?

00:25

Sorry

I'm not interested in your black and white pubes

\---

'They are NOT black and white' Bokuto wanted to respond immediately, before taking a glance inside his boxers and, to his own surprise, discovering a fair amount of white streaks among his otherwise black pubic hair. He concluded that some bleach must have spilled from his hair the last time he was refining his hairstyle.

Why he was bleaching his hair nude remained a mystery even to himself.

00:26

But even apart from that

We've been hitting it off with Kenma recently

00:27

Ohhh

\---

Indeed, Bokuto knew that Kuroo and his childhood friend were always close to one another, and with how much the raven-haired spoke of Kenma for the past few weeks, he was suspecting that some shifts were taking place in their relationship. He couldn't quite anticipate it was all going in the romantic direction, but he was not one to judge, and he would certainly support their happiness.

00:28

Yeah

Exactly ;)

00:29

Congrats, man!

Best of luck to you ^^

Thanks lol

00:30

But hey!

That just means I've got no one to try it out with! D:

00:31

What's with all the rush, mate?

You hard or what?

\---

Bokuto reached beneath the underside of his laptop for a confirmation of the situation in his nether regions. And without a doubt, he was palming down a mild erection. Of course, he could deal with it in multiple ways, but there was one which he was dying to try out. Incidentally, it was the same one which put him into that state.

00:32

…Maybe

Can you blame me tho?

You started the topic >.<

00:33

Bokuto, man

You surpass all of my expectations

So proud of you :')

00:34

Yeah, yeah

But what am I supposed to do now, huh?

00:35

I can't be your only bro?

That'd be pretty sad

Tho it's nice to hear you trust me enough for something like that :3

00:36

You're a chill guy, you share my interests and you brought it up in the first place

Of course I'd trust you :P

00:37

Oh stop it you

You're making me blush

00:38

Yeah, anyway

Got any suggestions Mr. Get-My-Homie-Horny-Then-Leave-Him-On-His-Own?

00:39

Watch out, Bokuto used his sarcasm

It's not very effective :*

But to the point

00:40

You're a pretty popular guy, aren't ya?

I'm sure you'd at least have a few cool friends on the team?

00:41

Well yeah, but

I'm not close enough with any of them to just go "hey, watcha doing? Wanna jerk off with me over webcam for a bit?"

Like, it'd be super awkward

I'd never be able to come to practice again

00:42

Oh man, sounds promising

Could I get that on paper? *^*

Kuroooooo T^T

00:43

My bad

But hey, you've got him

You know

Akaashi

\---

"Akaashi?" Bokuto questioned out loud, only now recognizing his teammate as a possibility. Well, a highly unlikely one, but a rather exciting prospect. To hear him call his name in his usual polite manner as he got closer and closer… No no no no no. Bokuto was getting ahead of himself. That would never happen.

00:44

Akaashi?

Ohh yes ;)

The great vice-captain

That lovely #5

That handsome setter

That charming black-haired second-year

00:45

Your cock twitching yet?

I think I'd need to see a doctor if it did

Cause that don't sound healthy

00:46

Aaaaanyway

How about asking him?

00:47

Well…

But how?

\---

He most certainly did trust Akaashi to keep it between the two of them, and he could make for quite an erotic companion in masturbation, if Bokuto's imagination was anything to go by. But would he even be interested?

00:48

Keep it casual

Just do it

I know it's scary

But start it off as a joke and then see how he takes it

How about that?

00:49

I don't think he's got much of a sense of humor

00:50

Oh, come on

Just try

I'll let you weep on my shoulder if you fail

So go get him, tiger ;)

00:51

Wait, I didn't say I'd do it!

00:52

Kuroo?

00:53

Don't leave me alone ._.

00:54

He's gonna fall asleep if you keep wasting time chatting with me

Go! Go! Bokuto! Grab your cock and just go!

00:55

You are the worst :c

00:56

That's why you love me. :3

\---

Reading Kuroo's last message, Bokuto closed their chatbox, and clicked the small x to hide it from his view. He felt that even the name of the damn cat would be mocking him as he attempted to invite Akaashi to an intimate session. Before progressing however, he cupped his head in his hands, putting his best efforts into calming his shaken nerves. God, how did he get himself into such a mess. Although, it wasn't a mess just yet, but he was sure to create one in just a few minutes and a limited amount of messages, knowing his great flirtation skills (or the great lack thereof). Well, he had to admit, you lived only once. But to die at such a young age would be a great pity.

He shook his head, clearing his mind. It was best to get it over with already. He scrolled through the sidebar of the chat, searching for the name of his vice-captain. His eyes finally locking with the graceful characters spelling out 'Akaashi Keiji', he noticed the green circle beside it – a good sign, at this hour. A part of him wanted to see him offline, only to relieve him of this great stress, but another part (his lower half, to be precise) desired nothing than messaging him as soon as it was feasible and receiving another sort of much-needed relief.

In either case, he needed to put himself out of his misery, and quickly.

Squinting his eyes cautiously, as if that would make his activity less visible to Akaashi, he clicked his name and began typing up his message.

_Keep it casual, Koutarou_

01:01

Hey Akaashi! :)

You still up?

01:02

Oh, hello, Bokuto-san.

Yes, I'm still wide awake. May I help you with something?

01:03

Oh, I hope I'm not interrupting anything important?

No, not at all. I was just reading a pretty captivating e-book online.

A short break might actually be a good idea by now.

\---

Alright, Bokuto seemed to be on the right track; Akaashi was his polite self, correct down to the last punctuation mark, and he wasn't making blunt statements about how he would much prefer to keep reading rather than waste his time chatting with his more than slightly bothersome ace. All was going well so far.

01:04

Glad to hear it then :D

01:05

So, to what do I owe your message?

Oh, I was chatting with Kuroo for a bit and I needed a change of pace ^^'

You know he can be a big meanie sometimes :c

01:06

Well, he IS correct sometimes, even if he's not the nicest about it.

Anything particular he said about you that hurt you?

\---

For once, Bokuto felt Akaashi deeply cared for how he felt and he could hardly suppress the grateful coo in the back of his throat. Naturally, it came at the price of reading Akaashi's overly honest bluntness, but being used to his antics, Bokuto could only consider the message sweet.

01:07

He said he's not interested in my black and white pubes :'(

01:08

Oh.

\---

_Shit._

_Too casual._ _**Too casual.** _

Bokuto immediately wanted to slam his laptop shut, throw it out the window, bury it in the backyard and bang his head on the wall because _who in the right mind would write something like that?!_ Bringing his palm to cover his face with enough force to make a slap resound in his room, he couldn't help but wonder which idiotic part of his brain made him think that his pubes would _ever_ be, in fact, a good conversation topic. Contrary to his long, evening chats with Kuroo, he never spoke of anything sexual with Akaashi, feeling he would be uninterested, awkward, or _worse:_ call him out on being a pervert. He might have been one, yes, but hearing it from the vice-captain's lips would most likely break his fragile perverted heart.

Wrecking his mind over how much he fucked up his chance with Akaashi, he heard the familiar sound of a new message.

01:09

Is that so?

May I ask what you were discussing with Kuroo-san?

\---

Perhaps it was simply Bokuto's mind luring him into a trap, but he could feel a fair note of amusement from Akaashi's writing, rather than offense. Game was still on.

01:10

Oh, you know, the usual stuff

Jerking off

Jerking off while watching your mate jerk off as he watches you

Mutual masturbation

The typical things ^^'

01:11

Would you mind reminding me, what exactly is your relationship with Kuroo-san?

NONONNO

01:12

We're not like THAT

We were just discussing the topic

"Bro bonding" they call it

I mean, it's interesting isn't it?

Getting intimate with your bro

01:13

Feeling good

Deepening your friendship

Exchanging techniques

It's all really useful stuff!

01:14

And in the end, isn't it just hot?

It could be an interesting experience

\---

Bokuto forced his hands to stop typing up more nonsense. He felt that at this point, he could only further turn Akaashi off, rather than convince him by giving him more good arguments. It was interesting for _him_ ; who knew what Akaashi would think of it? Maybe it was too homoerotic for him after all? Maybe they weren't that close with Bokuto in the first place, not even close enough to _talk_ about such things, not to mention actually _performing_ them. The lack of response, the silence he received hardly helped him remain calm either.

Two minutes had passed, and the floating dots, signifying the fact that Akaashi was writing his message, were still hovering up and down in their chatbox. Bokuto threw his head back, searching for his ceiling in the darkness of the room, illuminated only by the cool glow of the screen. Anything was better than watching the same three dots rise and fall again and again, torturing Bokuto more with each passing minute.

After five minutes, he looked to his chat once more and in horror noticed that the dots had disappeared, but no new message had spawned in his inbox. Akaashi was still online, but he was not writing. This couldn't have meant anything good, Bokuto quickly concluded.

And within an instant, his mind was coming up with hundreds of scenarios, in which he must flee the country because _anything_ would be better than facing Akaashi's disgust, than hearing the awkwardness as he called his name in feigned politeness, than seeing him click his tongue as he is forced to toss to someone as gross as Bokuto. Quickly, he opened a new tab and looked for flights to Tibet, or any cheaper flights to mainland China. It was never too late to become a monk, live in peace, far away from the civilized world and its Earthly desires, raising goats and meditating. He also had a look at connections to the Middle East, and north Africa. A camel farm and the life in solitude on some warm dessert also sounded like a fair option. The only issue would be the finance – his savings couldn't pay for even half of the flight fees. Perhaps his parents would understand and finance his great journey to a better, pure life. If worse came to worst, he could travel by foot, become a hitchhiker, see how far he could go before he was drugged and murdered by some creep in a van who offered him a lift-

He was awoken from his daydreams of running away by a ping in his inbox. It was Akaashi. It was time to find out whether he awaited the fate of the prey of a psychopath with a van.

01:20

Are you aroused by the thought of masturbating with another man?

\---

Bokuto released a relieved breath. It seemed to be alright. Akaashi was responding. He had no idea if they were going in the right direction and whether the setter's reply was a good sign at all, but at least he didn't leave him alone in the dark. But what should he answer anyway? His hands trembled as he typed the ambiguous response.

Well…

01:21

Please be honest with me. I promise not to judge you and to keep it only between the two of us.

\---

_Oh?_ Bokuto tipped his head to the side in surprise. This was not the message he was expecting. But this could only mean… Was Akaashi interested? Why else would he ask? Why else would he be so cautious and polite about it? Then again, Bokuto could very well misinterpret his intentions, and that would be beyond embarrassing. He decided to keep his answer short. With a short sigh, closing his eyes and biting his lip, he pressed the 'enter' key.

_Whatever happens, happens._

01:22

Yes, I am.

01:23

Would you do it if you had the chance?

01:24

I think I would

Would you like to do it with me?

01:25

Well, would YOU like to do it with ME?

I also want to know

It's pretty scary just answering your questions

01:26

Yes, I would.

Please keep it to yourself.

And please answer me as well.

01:27

Yes, I would

Akaashi, can I ask one more thing?

01:28

Yes?

Are you hard?

Right now?

01:29

I'm afraid the answer is yes…

And you?

Me too.

Really hard.

01:30

Would you, uhm

Maybe like to Skype?

And, uh

We'll 'relieve' these tensions?

01:31

YES

PLEASE

YES

\---

Bokuto had to cover his mouth with both of his hands to suppress the excited squeal that just escaped his throat because he was just invited to _masturbate with Akaashi_ and he couldn't believe how simple it was. _May you be blessed, Kuroo!_ He extended his arms to the heavens because God, he would have never gotten so far without him. The guy was dependable when necessary, Bokuto admitted with a nod. Finally calming down a little, he reached for his phone to check his hair in the front camera. It all seemed perfectly in place (which he acknowledged by sending his camera image an all but seductive wink), and he could barely remain sitting in his bed as he looked forward to seeing his setter from an entirely different perspective. If he were asked at that instant _why_ was he so giddy and excited for the act, he realized he probably wouldn't be able to give a proper explanation, but he could hardly care. It was highly likely that the head of his penis now assumed control over his body and it wasn't quite as good at expressing itself as the real thing. Not that Bokuto's real head was one to perform speeches for the UN, but it seemed to do just fine in the long run, in most cases keeping him out of trouble.

But, he was still getting ahead of himself. Akaashi didn't even call him yet, and his Skype was ready and booted up from the moment he began his conversation with Kuroo, just in case their hands got tired of typing at some point. The familiar sound coming from his chat was ready to provide an explanation for that before Bokuto had a chance to overthink it.

01:33

Bokuto-san, may I have your Skype username?

\---

Oh, of course. He had never Skyped with Akaashi before. He found the thought almost unnerving, considering how long he had known him. On the other hand, he realized that he never had a particular need to Skype with the setter, most likely due to his usual quiet demeanor. Voice-chatting with someone who didn't seem particularly keen on speaking at all seemed like mild torture for both participants. But they wouldn't be calling each other up to just _talk_ this time. Bokuto could feel blood flowing to his groin at the simple thought of it.

01:34

It's Bokuho69 :)

Please tell me you made that account at the age of 13?

01:35

Ahahaha, got me on that one, Akaashi ;)

\---

He was actually 15 when he created his Skype account but he would spare his friend the details on his low maturity levels. Both of them knew Bokuto was the type to laugh at the dumbest sexual innuendos, and to even be _proud_ of the fact. He figured Akaashi would shrug it off and move on, accepting it as merely another manifestation of Bokuto's apparent levels of libido. He wouldn't be one to judge, given what they were about to perform.

Another minute or two later, as Bokuto made sure that his erection look presentable (if a boner could even be described with that word?), the Skype notification reached his ears. A new contact request had appeared from Red-leggedKeiji, and there was no mistaking that simple, mundane almost, username for anyone else. Bokuto accepted the request with a smile.

01:37

Bokuto-san?

Yep, it's me ^^

01:38

Ah, good.

Shall I call?

Go ahead :)

\---

Bokuto might have sent him an rather carefree smiley face, but just as he realized how close they were to actually _doing it_ , he felt his throat tighten. He was still certain about wanting to try it, but being so close to something so different to what he usually did, he couldn't help the stress growing in his body.

Then, all of a sudden, the Skype ringtone played louder than Bokuto had expected, and he jumped to answer the call, scrambling for the touchpad, knowing that waking up his parents would mean the end before they even began. They tended to get pissy about Koutarou, their son and the star of Fukurodani volleyball team, wasting time on the internet when he should be resting, readying his body for another day of school and tough practice. Hearing no footsteps, he sighed in relief, waiting for the connection to be made.

The next instant, he saw him. Akaashi. His dark hair lit up by the warm yellow light of his bedside lamp as he remained half-sitting on his bed, his laptop resting atop his knees, as he carefully watched Bokuto's image on his screen. He was still fully clothed, and seemed to be wearing his pajamas, composed of a loose t-shirt and sweat pants – Bokuto's personal favorite combination for sleeping. The ace smiled. And then it hit him. He was finally _Skyping with Akaashi._ And they were only minutes away from _watching each other jerk off._ His tongue immediately tied itself into a neat knot, and for a few seconds he could only hear his blood pumping through the arterioles in his ears.

"Uh, hi there." Bokuto waved hesitantly at his camera.

"G-good evening." Akaashi bowed his head politely, stuttering on his words, proving that he was just as tense as the ace, and Bokuto could hardly blame him for it. "May I have a minor request, Bokuto-san?"

"Yes, sure, anything." Bokuto assured with a nod and a forced smile, but he was pretty sure he wasn't capable of doing 'anything' at the moment, and he sincerely hoped that the setter's request would truly be minor.

"Could you perhaps… turn some light on? I would like to see you after all." Akaashi asked hesitantly, causing a light chuckle to escape the captain. That was indeed a minor task to perform, but a major improvement to the both of them, if they were going to perform this with some level of equality.

"Yeah, no problem." Bokuto declared, feeling himself relax as he reached for the light switch of his bedside lamp. The next moment, his image on Akaashi's laptop was flooded with cool white light, and now the vice-captain had no trouble seeing his large frame.

"Thank you." Akaashi nodded, before furrowing his eyebrows, clearly considering what would be fitting to say to the ace in such a situation. "You look good, Bokuto-san."

Bokuto couldn't quite suppress the laugh tickling the back of his throat. The setter's attempt at a compliment was sweet, if not immensely awkward and appearing out of nowhere. He appreciated his effort more than anything, especially now, that he felt himself finally loosen up. It was only Akaashi after all, he had nothing to be afraid of.

"You look good, too, Akaashi." Bokuto had to return the comment, truly believing that his teammate looked unusually handsome in his casual outfit, soaked in the soft light. Alright, that was enough awkward intros. It was time to move on to the awkward genital reveals after all. "So, uhm, should I be the first one to pull my dick out?"

For a moment, he could swear a shadow of a smile crossed Akaashi's face, before he spoke in an almost amused tone. "If you would be so kind, please."

"Wait, lemme get my shirt off first." Bokuto decided that he would undoubtedly get hot in the garment soon enough, not to mention he would rather not stain it (being asked by his parents why he suddenly found the spirit to do the washing was a daunting experience he would rather not repeat). He pulled it over his head before throwing it somewhere to the side, beyond Akaashi's view. He sent him a warm grin. Suddenly a set of words appeared in his mind, and he found it most appropriate to pronounce it while running his hand down his well-defined abs. "Like what you're seeing?"

"I certainly can't complain." Akaashi agreed, despite seeing the ace's body at least once every day during practice. In this context however, he couldn't quite help silently licking his lips. A well-toned body was a sight to behold after all. He all but forgot about his tension from a moment before.

"Alright, here it comes." Bokuto announced, pushing the laptop lower down his legs, revealing the obvious bulge and reaching to the hem of his sweats. He remembered to fullscreen Akaashi's image too; he wanted to see his reactions clearly displayed and gauge his thoughts based on what he saw. "You ready for this?"

"Surprisingly, yes." The setter confirmed. Already anticipating what was coming, Bokuto long since fullscreened on his laptop, he watched him intently. The next instant, Bokuto's cock bobbed into full view, stiff and reddened, like Akaashi expected it, but larger, more… majestic than he envisioned. His mouth fell open a little as the ace took a leisurely stroke down the shaft. Seeing that on its own was an incredibly erotic experience. And they were only beginning. Akaashi bit his lower lip.

"Any thoughts?" Bokuto cooed, already satisfied by the setter's expression, which suggested he was in absolute awe over his member. That surpassed all of his predictions, and he couldn't complain one bit.

"It's…" Akaashi felt all of the more complex adjectives in his brain were erased the instant he had seen Bokuto's dick. "Nice. I like it."

Bokuto couldn't help the quiet chuckle because no one previously had referred to his cock as _nice._ But he couldn't deny, he enjoyed that description. Hearing someone actually _liked_ his cock was another novelty. He could get used to all these simple praises. "Okay, Akaashi, your turn."

"Alright then." The setter nodded, pulling up his oversized t-shirt to uncover the area of his groin, visibly swollen under the fabric of his pants. Then slowly, almost teasingly, he began pulling his sweats down along with his briefs, inch by inch revealing his stiffness. Bokuto's grin widened as he finally viewed Akaashi's erection in its full glory, flushed, hard and pointing towards the ceiling. He could hardly call himself an expert on penises (having only seen his own and the few tens (or hundreds) ridiculously huge, unrealistic dicks in porn), but he had a strong feeling that Akaashi's cock was beautiful. The shaft, nicely fitting into the palm of his hand, not too thick and not too thin seemed to be a fair length, certainly nothing the owner could be ashamed of (even if a little shorter than Bokuto's, as far as the camera quality allowed him to tell), and was topped off with a shapely, lightly colored head. It also had a nice curve to it, he noted, which most likely further improved the comfort of masturbation. The ace would have whistled with appreciation if he didn't find it so inappropriate (because it would be _whistling_ , of all things, that would be most inappropriate about their current situation).

"It's pretty." Bokuto commented enthusiastically, as Akaashi held it at the base.

"Is it?" Akaashi all but scoffed playfully, trying to get his mind around what could have been _pretty_ about a stiff dick, and _his_ stiff dick in particular. "I guess you could say so."

"I do say so. It's pretty." Bokuto repeated and the setter virtually _chuckled_. It really was quite the unusual compliment, and he liked it. Meanwhile, the ace only stared at him, virtually with pure adoration, because he had probably _never_ heard Akaashi _chuckle_ before _._ And it was sweet and precious and he wished he could do something to make him laugh more often. But that was a digression of his. "So, shall we get right down to it?"

"As far as I can see, you've already gotten to it, Bokuto-san." Akaashi threw him a challenging glance from under his long lashes, watching as his teammate slowly pumped down his cock.

"Sorry, I couldn't help it." Bokuto laughed nervously. "Would you join me then?"

"With pleasure." The setter agreed, steadying his grip on his member. The next instant, and Bokuto watched this closely, he softly retracted the foreskin, before pulling it over the head unhurriedly, releasing a heavy breath in the process. He was looking in the camera too, his eyes half-lidded all throughout it, and Bokuto was certain he felt his own cock harden further in his hands. Akaashi looked so _arousing_ , as if he were attempting (and succeeding) in seducing his ace, that Bokuto felt the need to ponder how he would proceed with his own dick, so as not to end the night's proceedings shamefully quickly.

He closed his eyes, calming his breath, gently sliding his thumb over the smooth skin of the head, feeling his body tense up as the pleasant sensation spread through his loins. It must have been thanks to Akaashi because he'd never felt so good so quickly. Watching him get off, Bokuto was certain he would only need a few stronger strokes to come, and a shiver came down his spine as he heard a soft moan pass through his speakers. Opening his eyes once more, he saw the setter working himself harder now, stroking from base to head. The shallow gasps he released hardly improved his friend's situation.

"You alright there, Bokuto-san?" Akaashi asked carefully, and his voice just _had_ to hitch as he pronounced his name. And Bokuto knew he would no longer be able to hold back. He took a firmer hold of his cock and he thrust his hips upwards to meet his own stroke, careful not to knock the laptop to the ground, he released a low, shameless moan, feeling his back lift off the headboard of the bed, the sudden pleasure overwhelming him far more than he anticipated. Oh, he would come apart _quickly_ now.

"Yeah, I'm good." He sighed with a grin, with the corner of his eye noticing that Akaashi had licked his lips at his last stunt. They were enjoying the respective shows they were receiving to their wits' ends. Bokuto once more had to ease his strokes to keep himself a fair distance from the edge, but seeing the setter's hips slowly rise from the mattress in response to his own touch, his voice reaching higher, sharper, more needy notes between his heavy breaths, he suddenly desired nothing but release. He now joined Akaashi in his frantic, graceless pumping, matching his pace, running his hand down the entire length of his cock, feeling the heat pooling within him, feeling himself getting closer with every moment.

"Bokuto-san…" Akaashi mewled quietly, lifting his t-shirt above his pecs, his brows furrowed blissfully and his mouth open, before allowing himself to spill hot and heavy on his abdomen with a long groan. Bokuto watched as his chest rose and fell, as the thick white fluid landed on his lightly tanned skin, leaving filthy marks each time the setter pulled on his cock, riding out his orgasm till the end. And in an instant the ace joined him, whimpering his name under his breath, tugging on his member, losing himself in the pleasure he edged himself towards for what seemed like ages, only opening his eyes once he felt his breath become heavy, sated, and the warm wetness on the skin of his stomach.

"Akaashi." He sighed with a wide, pleased grin, leaning back against his pillow and the headboard, watching his friend wipe himself down with a few tissues. "That was amazing."

"I have to agree." The setter took a deep breath with a light smile, placing the used tissues on his bedside table. "That was a… one of a kind experience."

"So you liked it?" Bokuto prompted, wanting to hear Akaashi say it explicitly in his post-orgasm glow.

"As surprised as I am to admit it out loud, yes. Rarely have I felt this good." He nodded, lowering himself on the bed, bringing the laptop to lay on his stomach as if he wanted to be physically closer to Bokuto-san.

"Same here." Bokuto agreed with a knowing nod, forcing himself not to remember Akaashi's desperate strokes from a moment earlier, in fear of ruining the sweet moment with another raging erection. "You looked really erotic there, Akaashi."

"So did you, Bokuto-san." He scoffed with a soft smirk. "I really struggled to keep my head cool there."

"Oh, tell me about it." Bokuto burst out in a brief laugh. "I was sure you would be shy and take it slowly, but then bam, and I couldn't take my eyes off you. You were _so_ good."

"I honestly thought I was taking my time." Akaashi chuckled once more, watching Bokuto's image with his almost affectionate gaze, and the ace felt like he was speaking to a different person. Seeing each other's orgasms really did change bro relationships, it seemed. And he was overjoyed to have gone through with his plan after all.

"Hey, Akaashi." He began only as a matter of introduction. "Thank you for this."

"Thank you for having me." The setter answered with a small bow, at which Bokuto couldn't help smiling.

"You know, I was thinking it would be much more awkward. But you're more chill than I thought." The ace confessed, placing his palm on the trackpad and feeling the synthetic warmth generated by the cooling system. A part of him treated it as a substitute for Akaashi's hand, which he found himself wanting to hold fondly in a light form of gratitude. "Really, I'm glad we could try it out."

"So am I. It was certainly unique." Akaashi nodded, reaching his hand to the mousepad the same way Bokuto did. He couldn't fully comprehend why, but he found the act reassuring, and felt compelled to mimic it. It was a quiet sign of their close bond, a far more subtle one than their previous doings. It was simple, and Akaashi liked it.

"So, uh, would you maybe want to do it again sometime?" Bokuto asked with a smirk, much less smoothly than he hoped, but he was certain it got the message across. Now _please_ don't let it be a one-time deal, he chanted silently in his mind.

"Oh, yes, sure. Preferably at a time when no one can hear us, but yes, definitely." The setter agreed with a mildly startled smile, not quite expecting the question so soon, but undoubtedly willing to perform the act again in the near future. The next instant, his eyelids seemed to droop a bit lower and he covered a yawn with the back of his hand before speaking of another thing he remembered. "Bokuto-san, you also mentioned mutual masturbation in our earlier conversation, didn't you?"

"Ah, yes, I did. What about it?" Bokuto titled his head to the side, not quite understanding where the question came from and where the conversation was going.

"You see, my parents are away Saturday and Sunday this week, so if you would like to come over after practice and perhaps try out something more… physical, then you would be very welcome." Akaashi announced deadpan, as if it were a side comment, as if _he didn't just invite Bokuto over for touching each other's dicks the coming day._

And Bokuto thought _he_ was too casual.

Closing his mouth which fell agape during Akaashi's highly unexpected invitation which completely took him off guard, he searched for the right word in his stunned mind.

"Y-Ye-Yes." He finally pronounced, staring at the setter, dazed, once more feeling as if the dark eyes hidden under the draped eyelashes were charming him, leading him to his impending doom, a beautiful one, one he seemed to wish for. Only after a minute or so regaining his ability to speak, he replied properly. "Yes, I'd gladly take you up on that."

"That's good to hear then." Akaashi released a relieved sigh. His momentary nonchalance did well to hide his immediate fear; Bokuto would have never assumed the setter had to overcome a huge amount of sudden stress to make that simple offer.

"Yeah. Looking forward." Bokuto chuckled, feeling a warm sensation cover his cheeks. He could barely stop himself from visualizing the next night together. It was Akaashi's voice which successfully stopped his fantasies.

"Oh, one more thing." He began, as if he remembered something critical. "There's nothing wrong with your pubic hair. I think it's almost cool you kept the same dyeing pattern as your hair."

Bokuto burst into a soft laugh. He could hardly believe the setter remembered such a minor detail from their earlier conversation and actually attempted to _cheer him up_ , knowing what Kuroo had said about his pubic hair. Akaashi was a treasure, and Bokuto felt immensely lucky that he came to masturbate with him, of all people.

_Almost_ cool. Akaashi's typical honesty paired with his sweet comforting skills. The ace offered him a most genuine smile. "Thanks. I really appreciate it."

"You're welcome." The setter nodded humbly. "I think it's right about time we went to sleep though. It's past 2 am already."

Only then did he look at the clock on his laptop. "Oh, it really is." Damn, he would be dead tired at school the next day. Thankfully, Akaashi wouldn't see him napping in English class.

"I'll be saying goodnight then, Bokuto-san." He said, lowering his laptop to his thighs once more, but not cutting the call yet, watching as the ace picked up his t-shirt from the floor. "Although, if I may recommend something, I'd suggest wiping yourself down before wearing that shirt."

And only then did Bokuto notice that he never properly cleaned off the proof of his orgasm off his abdomen, and he dropped the shirt in slight panic, as if it suddenly scolded his fingers. He quickly reached for some tissues.

"Damn, thanks Akaashi. I don't know what I'd do without you." He chuckled, wiping himself clean of the uncomfortably setting fluid.

"No problem at all. I figured you took off your shirt to keep it clean. It'd be a pity if you ruined it now." Akaashi provided a brief explanation, before Bokuto beamed at him, finally clothing himself in the garment.

"Okay then, don't let me waste any more of your night. Goodnight, Akaashi." Bokuto pronounced softly, raising his hand to send his friend a small wave. Mildly surprised, he saw the setter reply the small gesture and smiled at his effort.

"Goodnight, Bokuto-san. Sleep well." A tired smile graced Akaashi's lips for the last time that night.

"See you tomorrow." The ace added, his exhaustion finally catching up to him, as he felt how heavy his body truly was.

"See you tomorrow, Bokuto-san." Akaashi nodded. For a few following seconds, they gazed at each other for the last time, before Bokuto pressed the red button, almost regretfully, finishing their conversation. He realized it was late, but he felt the inexplicable need to stay a little longer with Akaashi.

He sighed, closing his laptop, placing it on the floor and stretching out on his bed. He silently smiled to himself. Who would have known getting off to the image of a guy, a friend, to add to it, could be so arousing.

Having turned off the light and crawled under his sheets, Bokuto suddenly stilled, his eyes open, staring at the ceiling in the darkness. Weren't they supposed to jerk off to porn while being within speaking distance to each other, rather than actually _jerk off to each other_?

Bokuto shook his head, dismissing the thought. It was a minor detail. He wasn't one to dwell on details anyway.

Only he did not yet realize that minor detail would overturn his entire relationship with Akaashi.

Oh, he had _no_ idea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know, this WAS supposed to be a one-shot, but…
> 
> I’d feel bad just finishing it off on a “they had lots of sex and later became a couple” sort of note.
> 
> This will probably kill me, but I’ll be making it into a multi-chapter work. :’)
> 
> Please don’t expect quick updates though because I have another ongoing fic right now and am struggling with school, so I’d appreciate your patience. ^^
> 
> Thank you for reading and I hope you have a great week! <3


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew, been a while since the first chapter, eh? ^^'
> 
> But it's finally here, chapter 2, and I really enjoyed writing it so I hope it'll be equally (if not more) pleasant to read. :3
> 
> Without further ado, go ahead and dive into Bokuto and Akaashi's sexual (among others) adventures and I hope you enjoy the trip~

Among the things Bokuto wasn't particularly good at were early mornings. It is not as though he couldn't get up for school, he simply had a ridiculously hard time doing so. It usually took him three alarms (each set five minutes apart), two annoyed snooze-button presses and an intrusion or two of his mother into his room repeating the same verse in always a similar shrill voice, of how he wouldn't have those issues if he would have gone to bed at some normal time, before he would stretch his limbs and finally crawl out of his warm covers and head for the bathroom. Those were still mornings in which he slept a fair seven hours. Now, mornings when he got less sleep than usual; those mornings were _hell._

This was precisely that sort of a morning.

Hearing the familiar and so _so_ irritating tone of Kyari's Ponponpon (which Bokuto made the mistake of setting as his alarm tune years back when he found the song greatly amusing which was still before he managed to hate it so much that he once sent his phone flying across the room to make it shut up when he got particularly little sleep) for the fifth time, Bokuto slammed his finger into the brightly lit screen, finally silencing the voice which seemed to drive him insane. His frustration woke him up enough to bring him to support himself on his forearms with a groan, wiping his eyes and reaching for his phone, in case anything worth attention had happened over the four and a half hours of sleep he got. The lock screen, blurred to his eyes, appeared to tease a Facebook message from a dark-haired… _Akaashi?_

Squinting at the words which at this hour seemed far too small to read, Bokuto deciphered the portion of the message displayed on the screen. It read thus:

"Bokuto-san, I wanted to thank you for last night. Please don't worry about…" the full message could be viewed in the app and Bokuto was about to unlock his phone when he heard his mother calling his name, making him realize he overslept by ten minutes and it would be his hair-styling that would suffer in such circumstances. He was dying to know what the setter wrote, suddenly remembering the events of the night and feeling both incredibly anxious and extraordinarily satisfied because he never had to deal with the consequences of something like that before, even though when he was in the moment he couldn't give a damn. Glancing at the message with a small pout he rightfully decided that morning preparations had to take priority. The message could wait until the trip to school.

Only after closing the door to the bathroom Bokuto noticed the odd erection lifting his sweatpants. Oh, of course. That was another side-effect of losing sleep, the ace half-consciously recalled the typical pattern of events following a below average amount of hours slept. He now had to add a cold shower to his morning routine. For a brief moment he considered sacrificing his edgy hairstyle for getting to school on time, but seeing the black and white nest which constituted for a large part of his head he only became certain of one thing. He was absolutely going to be late.

Only when he was wolfing down his breakfast (miraculously only five minutes behind his usual morning schedule) did Bokuto manage to read the full message Akaashi sent him. It went as follows:

"Bokuto-san, I wanted to thank you for last night. Please don't worry about anything, as what we have done will stay between the two of us. As far as it is possible, please try to act normal at school and don't let a sense of awkwardness or embarrassment get in between us. My perception of you hasn't changed. My offer of spending the rest of the weekend together still stands. Perhaps pack an extra change of clothing if you are still interested. See you at school."

A part of Bokuto was relieved with the message, and a part mildly annoyed. Yeah, he could get a little worked up over things at times, but a long message made only to reassure him seemed a little condescending. Then again, Akaashi could be quite the patronizing type at times and the ace had to admit that he had reasons for it, considering his own emotional imbalance and occasional lack of deeper thought. Swallowing his last piece of toast, Bokuto decided that he was happy with the message after all; it did a fair job of wiping away his anxiety. And, of course, heightening his excitement. Akaashi still wanted to perform… _certain acts_ in person and Bokuto very much shared that desire.

"Hey, mom, mind if I stay the night at Akaashi's place tonight?" the captain asked, feeling a permission from his parents would be a good place to start. His mother, briefly turning away from the frying pan gave him a surprised glance.

"If his parents agreed, then that's fine by me. Just don't do anything silly, alright?" She responded with mild concern in her voice. Bokuto's parents were very much the worrying, caring type (despite the fact that Bokuto was almost graduating high school), but they weren't ridiculously strict and their son could only appreciate the fact.

"Of course. Just playing video games and the usual stuff." The ace chuckled, knowing full well they were going to do things _far beyond_ mere _silly._ But his mother was not one to be told of his sexual adventures. He had Kuroo for that purpose after all. He had a feeling their next conversation with the captain of Nekoma would be a long one. Whether it would be euphoric or utterly tragic would depend on the events of the afternoon and the following day.

* * *

 

Just as he had assumed, Bokuto slept through a fair part of his English class. He owed this to his teacher, who was a boring middle-aged man with no passion for his subject and a very limited knowledge of the language itself. The students almost finishing high school were still made to remember verbs in different tenses with little to no practice of how to use them in a conversation, not to mention the greatly lacking vocabulary. Bokuto wasn't one to care though. He wasn't planning on getting involved with any foreigners anytime soon anyway, and his teacher couldn't care less about his effort (or lack thereof) in class.

Hearing the ambient chime signifying the end of the badly lead class, Bokuto stretched in his seat, rubbing his eyelids in hopes of wiping his lingering drowsiness away. Having reclaimed some of his precious sleeping time he now felt ready for the nicely filling sandwich which waited for him until the much-needed lunch break. This was also the first time when he would meet with Akaashi during the day, and despite the earlier message he found himself somewhat anxious about seeing him in person. Could he really act normal after seeing his friend's genitals, and not simply that, after seeing his orgasm and being seen by him in the same setting? He was about to find out.

"Bokuto-san." Akaashi's head peeked into his classroom, followed by his slim body, taking a few steps towards the ace. "Shall we eat together?"

"Yeah." Bokuto answered quickly, fishing the sandwich out of his bag and making his way over to the setter with a light smile. He seemed to look the same as always; composed, deadpan and graceful, perhaps only a little more tired than he would usually be. Bokuto quickly realized he had nothing to be afraid of.

They spent the lunch break on the roof, enjoying the warm weather among a few other familiar students. Once they finished their meals, Akaashi spoke up. "Did you get my message this morning?"

"Oh, yeah."Bokuto suddenly remembered. He never did give him a proper response. "I'm definitely still interested."

"That's good to hear then." Akaashi nodded, eyes calmly fixed on Bokuto, seeming to enjoy his beaming features.

"To be honest though," Bokuto began, addressing a thought that clouded his mind for a short while. "I'm quite surprised _you_ would be interested in this stuff."

"Why?" the setter tilted his head, his brows furrowing lightly. "Do I seem like someone who wouldn't take pleasure in such things?"

"Well…" Bokuto rubbed his neck with a nervous smile. "I guess you come off as keeping to himself, and secretly grossed out by… you know, _that._ I wouldn't think you're the type to share such things with others."

"I suppose I would usually keep such matters private, yes. To be perfectly honest, our initial exchange last night threw me off guard." Akaashi spoke, lost in thought, staring at some non-descript point on the fence surrounding the roof. "But I found myself drawn to the prospect. I'm curious, you see. And I trust you enough to explore that feeling a little further."

"Akaashi!" Bokuto called out in utter bliss, watching the setter with eyes which all but glimmered with awe and tears of happiness. He would always be overjoyed to learn that Akaashi thought of him so fondly. "It's an honor to practice this with you!"

"We're friends, Bokuto-san." Akaashi continued, doing his best to ignore the ace's momentary outburst. "Or, 'bros', as you like call it. Not to mention you were the one to suggest it first. It's not that odd that I'd choose you if I wanted to try something more. As long as you're fine with it, of course."

"Yes, I'm very fine! Super fine!" Bokuto nodded, excited, assuring Akaashi that he was as prepared for the idea of getting intimate as the setter seemed to be. "It's really different with you, too. Like, a good different. In a relaxed, social way, if that makes any sense."

"Yes, I know what you mean. And one more thing which convinced me was…" Akaashi trailed off for a brief moment, searching for the right words. "There's a special bond between setter and ace. I think delving deeper into that could even improve our play. Or, it would certainly be an interesting way of getting about it. I figured you'd like it too. Volleyball practice isn't all that makes up a player in the end."

"That's right!" Bokuto remembered, almost jumping up from the bench they were resting on, thinking back to how the site he read described the bond-deepening properties of mutual masturbation. "I didn't think it through that far, but that would totally make sense. Oh man, I'm so pumped up now!"

Akaashi had to shake his head lightly at the ace's typical, volleyball-related excitement. He considered his simple enthusiasm almost sweet and he knew exactly what to say to trigger it. That being said, he could never quite control Bokuto's hype, and that happened to reach unimaginable levels at times.

Now, however, the ace was only watching him with a grin, shifting in his seat, finding it difficult to keep still from the fun prospect. He soon extended his fist to the setter with another beaming smile. "For the broship."

Akaashi only sighed, raising his hand for their knuckles to meet in a companionable fist bump. "For the broship." He pronounced the words which he found mostly silly (considering that he had already extensively expressed that, yes, the whole procedure was in fact purposed to support their friendly relations), but if they would make Bokuto happy, he would repeat them in the expected response.

They spent the remaining part of the lunch break together and Akaashi couldn't help noticing that Bokuto seemed to watch him more intently, pay more attention to his words, and smile just a bit brighter than usual. The fact made him happier than he was willing to admit.

* * *

 

Once their daily practice was over and the changing rooms were beginning to clear of the Fukurodani players, Bokuto sent Akaashi a knowing wink. The ace had an unusually easy time hitting his teammate's spikes and, despite a few mistakes on Bokuto's side, their moves were well-coordinated. Ameliorating their relationship seemed to take effect in their game quickly. And that was still thanks to the Skype session only.

As Bokuto changed into his tracksuit, he reached to his bag. "Hey, Akaashi. I took my favorite shirt for tonight."

Responding to the call, the setter saw as he pulled a gray t-shirt out of his bag and for a moment he wondered what could be so special about it before noticing the large black and white letters on the front.

"SleepBROver" was the word they spelled, and it was so alike Bokuto that Akaashi could swear that he felt the heavy corners of his lips lift, even if just by a few millimeters. The shirt also featured a warning-like yellow sign, showing two male sprites sitting on sleeping bags. The setter only wondered how often Bokuto came to use the t-shirt for the implied situation.

The ace would have to admit that he only bought it because he found it hilarious, and also because that's how snapchatting with Kuroo while out shopping usually ended. But he didn't much mind. He was happy to finally get a chance to use it in the proper circumstances. Akaashi's silently smiling eyes seemed to agree with him.

* * *

 

A short walk, a few stations and a little under an hour later Bokuto was entering Akaashi's room, noting this was the first time he had actually seen it in person. He found the fact to be no great pity, as the room seemed fairly ordinary, perhaps like Akaashi himself at first glance, its main difference to other high school boys' rooms laying in its unusual neatness. For a brief moment, Bokuto wondered whether the setter had set the room in order for his visit specifically and shortly concluded that it would be no surprise if he kept it in such a state all the time, anyway.

Once the light was on, his bag set on the ground, and the door closed, leaving him and Akaashi to themselves in the empty house, Bokuto struggled to decide on what to say and where to begin. Should he suggest to begin the act immediately or start off with playing some games or watching some videos online? Would that be too pushy, or would the other option be too evasive? Should he wait for Akaashi to bring it up, or start the topic himself? Should he joke about it or take it seriously? Questions swarmed his mind as the atmosphere thickened with awkwardness and he found himself staring at a wall, swaying slightly from foot to foot in hesitation.

"Bokuto-san, would you like to do it now or later?" Akaashi put him out of his misery. His skills in reading the mood were a true gift from the merciful God, Bokuto thought, already making his mind up for an answer.

"Yeah, if you're cool with it, let's try now." The ace responded with a nervous smile, his gaze dropping to Akaashi's feet, finding it just a little too terrifying to look directly into his cool, certain eyes. The setter soon seemed to nod and made his way onto his bed, politely inviting Bokuto over to join him.

"To be perfectly honest, there's a position I found during my research yesterday which I would like to try." Akaashi explained as Bokuto sat with his legs crossed, facing him with a curious tilt of the head. "May I… touch you? I can show you what I mean."

The ace loudly affirmed that yes, he could and that after all that's why they met at Akaashi's place, all with a wide smile, slightly reddened cheeks and eyes which could hardly focus on Akaashi himself because seeing his Adam's apple move as he swallowed stirred some unusual arousal deep within him and he didn't want to be _that_ obvious about his desires.

The setter only nodded and moved to slowly open Bokuto's legs and flatten them against the mattress. "Do you think you'll support my weight?"

"Yeah." Bokuto answered, hardly knowing what question he was replying to now because he finally focused his eyes on Akaashi and his sight alone got him in a half-conscious daze. It was still the diligent, careful Akaashi, but also a completely different person to the setter Bokuto knew. He was charmed by the slim figure palming down his thighs.

The next instant (and the ace could hardly remember how this exactly happened) Akaashi was sitting in his lap, supporting himself on Bokuto's shoulders, his knees digging into the bed, his buttocks resting on his thighs and the exact organ they were going to stimulate right where the setter wanted it. For a brief moment, Bokuto felt the need to ask what was the purpose of all of this, but once Akaashi jerked his hips forward, rubbing his body down on his cock hidden somewhere in the sweatpants, Bokuto understood. Forgetting about his concerns, the ace closed his eyes and released a deeper breath.

"How is this, Bokuto-san?" Akaashi's breathy voice reached him from beyond his eyelids.

"Good. It's… good." He chuckled in response, opening his eyes only to see the setter with his lips lightly parted, his dark blue eyes focused on him ever so cautiously, ever so slightly piercing him with some underlying lust. He sent him a flirty smile, before settling his hands on Akaashi's hips. "And how're you feeling?"

He didn't, however, give him a chance to respond, pressing his hips down against himself, feeling the warmth of their stiffening members under their clothes, allowing a small gasp to escape their lips at the sudden pleasant sensation.

"Nice." Akaashi finally answered, grinding down on the ace, digging his fingers into his shoulders, letting a soft moan rise from his throat. Bokuto couldn't ask for a better answer. He bucked his hips forward in a slow rhythm, hearing himself release heavier breaths and seeing Akaashi close his eyes and quietly bite down on his lip in between gasps. It was so simple, yet felt amazing. The ace was certain they were both undoubtedly hard by now.

"Akaashi…" Bokuto sighed and eased his movement lightly, feeling the setter suddenly beginning to rub himself against his loins harder, as if taking the initiative. And it felt _good,_ but Bokuto wanted _more_ than just the pleasant grinding, the light chafing of his boxers, the almost-smile which crept up Akaashi's face as he rode his lap, closing his eyes with a satisfied crease in his brow. As the dark-haired leaned in, resting his full palms on Bokuto's shoulders, searching for more momentum, the ace whispered "Could we take our clothes off?"

"Yes, let's." Akaashi breathed out almost immediately, mildly surprised that Bokuto's almost seductive voice appealed to him so much. Especially considering how awkward he expected him to feel. But the ace seemed ready for this, hesitant, but willing and the setter could only comply.

It was Akaashi who began the undressing – starting with Bokuto's t-shirt; he pulled the hem up above his head, revealing the well-formed body beneath, inch by inch, taking in the sight of his lightly outlined abdominals, then his smooth pectorals, before seeing his face emerge as the garment slipped past his extended arms. He had to admit – the captain may not have had the figure of a body-builder, but he was in possession of a very fine body indeed. Briefly laying his shirt on the side, the setter noticed Bokuto's seemingly confident smile, betrayed by his lightly flushed cheeks. This was equally an experience for the ace himself, Akaashi realized, suddenly uncomfortable as he sat still in his full clothing.

Now it was Bokuto who removed the setter's shirt, overly careful, not to pull on his hair, or otherwise ruin the moment. Without his top, Bokuto now noticed Akaashi's light tone of skin and his thin, if not strong build. And he greatly appreciated the sight. He had never seen his lean body up close, or he had _seen_ it, but was never so physically close to it, would never dare to touch it. Now he allowed his fingertips to glide over the warm skin of his chest, down to his waist and around his back, gently exploring the unknown territory which he thought he knew so well, yet couldn't resist the urge to feel it with his own hands. Akaashi only leaned into his touch, feeling the hardened fingers now stroking down his back to his hips.

"Bokuto-san…" he sighed without thought, hoping to express his approval of the gentle caress. His voice, however, only returned the ace to his self-conscious reality.

"Oh, right, we were getting our clothes off, let's do that, yeah." Bokuto rambled, reaching for the hem of Akaashi's sweatpants, feeling like he had unconsciously overstepped some boundary, wondering if he made his friend uncomfortable. The setter rose from his lap, supporting himself on his knees, allowing him the access to the motion which would soon remove his pants.

"It felt good, Bokuto-san." Akaashi felt the need to verbalize, staring at some point on the wall, Bokuto's gentle blush too distracting to speak properly and look at it all at once. "The touching. I liked it."

"Oh." Bokuto understood, and the setter was certain he was smiling that coy smile of his, meaning that his reassurance had worked. Good, they could now proceed with the proper order of things. "I'll be taking it all off then."

Akaashi only nodded, before his member was freed from the confines of his sweats and briefs, and Bokuto eyed it tip to base with some sort of unusual wonder in his eyes. It was hard, that much he expected (that much he also hoped for), but above all it was…

"Pretty." Bokuto chuckled, as if he were alone and didn't have to worry about how the setter might react. "It's prettier in real life, too."

And it really was, shapely and clean, and in the back of his mind he wondered whether this was how he should feel after seeing his close friend's erection, live in the flesh in front of his eyes, but he could hardly care as the yearn to touch it and have his own touched grew in his mind, shutting all reason out.

Meanwhile Akaashi forced his reaction to the comment down to a dismissing smirk; quite a feat, considering his sudden, overpowering desire to burst out laughing. Bokuto had been a great choice after all.

Having removed his pants entirely, setting them on the side, Akaashi sat beside the ace, not climbing his thighs just yet, knowing very well he still had his partner's lower garments to dispose of, before he would receive the touch he couldn't get his mind off of. Hooking his fingers behind the hem of Bokuto's sweats he looked to him, seeking a final confirmation, and seeing the ace nod decisively he pulled the remaining clothes down. His eyes quickly met with Bokuto's length, looking as eager as its owner, excitedly pointed at his navel. Once the ace kicked the pants off, they were both fully naked and ready to go. Only, how would they proceed now? There was a plethora of possibilities and Bokuto could hardly decide what would fit the situation or what would be going too far.

"So… Will it be mutual masturbation?" Akaashi suggested, once again attempting to find some sort of peace in his wall with his eyes, feeling a light warmth creep up his cheeks. It wasn't exactly a question he asked on a daily basis.

"Yeah, that sounds… good." Bokuto agreed, feeling that he himself might have been blushing now, having seen his friend's light embarrassment and finding it both cute and natural, given the situation.

Akaashi quickly mounted his lap once more, leaving only an inch or two of space between the two members and a lustful thought of how it could be closed. For the moment however, he only reached to Bokuto's shaft, capturing it gently, causing an approving sigh from his friend. The next instant, he felt a cool hand wrap around his own cock and instinctively closed his eyes. He soon found himself feeling each of Bokuto's fingers distinctly on his member, slowly stroking down, then back up, but slowly, gently, taking his time, so mindful of Akaashi's pace that he almost seemed to tease him. The moment his hips bucked into the touch, his breath had already turned heavier.

Meanwhile, Bokuto was receiving an equally soft, if not equally arousing, treatment. Having Akaashi lean on him with one arm, his remaining hand gave him a few more confident strokes, before resorting to rubbing the tip with a stray finger as the rest of his hand brushed up and down his length. Slowly losing himself to the sensation he was certain a moan or two had escaped his throat and he almost forgot about increasing his pace on Akaashi, and only felt a part of his consciousness return to him when the setter jerked his hips into his hand.

Opening his eyes, he noticed Akaashi had his still tightly shut, his brow wrinkling as he focused on the pleasure he received. The moment Bokuto gripped him harder and gave him a stronger stroke, his mouth fell open and he released a desperate groan, satisfied, yet asking for more. The ace wasn't going to hold back, rubbing harder still, quickening his movements, watching as Akaashi arched his back and panted in his lap. But all the while, the setter's hold on Bokuto's cock had eased, and he was barely stroking him now, allowing his concentration to drift to himself. With another stroke, Bokuto had accidentally caused their tips to rub against one another. And suddenly he knew the solution.

Bringing his arm around Akaashi's waist, holding him closer, he realized he could reach without greater issues. "I'll rub them together, okay?" he whispered.

But Akaashi hardly listened, only sliding his hips closer, removing his fingers from Bokuto and allowing him access to their lengths. The next instant, he felt the ace's warmth press into his and a hand pressing them together. Soon enough Bokuto was stroking down both of their cocks, watching as they rubbed against each other, as they slid beneath his hand, seeing the slits cover with drops of precum, observing how the foreskin wrapped around the heads only to be pulled back again. This alone aroused him to the point of near climax and before long he was brushing down hectically, closing in on the sensation he desired most.

And all of a sudden, he was coming, his sight going dark as he could only feel the release flooding his body, his hand still moving franticly, greedily, his teeth clenching as he moaned some incoherent expression of pleasure. Then, breathing heavily, slowly, slowly returning from his high, his mind still clouded, he remembered of Akaashi, realized he hadn't climaxed yet, that he was reaching for his cock with a heavy breath and half-lidded eyes, thirsting for what he was so close to, yet hadn't reached yet. In an instant, Bokuto gripped the setter's cock alone, eyes closed, and stroked him with all the energy he had let, until he too found release with a non-discreet whimper, clinging to Bokuto's shoulders.

Then came the panting as both of them reveled in the post-climax bliss and their tired bodies slouched, the tension now gone from them. Bokuto soon brought his arms around Akaashi, pressing their warm bodies together. Placing his head on his friend's shoulder drowsily, resting for a few seconds, Bokuto finally dared to pronounce something in the still warm yet slowly cooling silence.

"Akaashi." He whispered. "That felt amazing."

"Yes…" Akaashi sighed. "Ridiculously good."

"Thanks." Bokuto felt the need to express at least the minimal gratitude.

"Would you like to repeat this?" the setter asked, as though in passing.

"Yes, definitely, yes." The ace replied with a quiet hum.

"Then no need to thank me. Consider it custom." Akaashi requested calmly. "Knowing that you enjoyed it is enough of a 'thank you' for me."

"So generous of you, Akaashi." Bokuto chuckled, briefly running his tired hand over the setter's waist.

"Yes, yes, we all have our moments." Akaashi replied dismissively, silently appreciating the light touch, gently embracing the ace tighter.

"I hope you don't mind this. It must be pretty gross." Bokuto spoke after some thought, expressing his slight anxiety over holding him so closely, causing what he thought must have been an even greater mess of their bodily fluids.

"Don't let it bother you, we'll shower. This also feels quite… pleasant." Akaashi found himself admitting because it did, and he was certain his friend shared his impression, not even attempting to let go of him so far.

"But man…" Bokuto seemed to be livening up, reassured and almost scoffing at himself lightheartedly like he usually did when he didn't offer a perfect performance. "It's pretty embarrassing; coming first and all…"

"You came second yesterday." Akaashi reminded him, in a roundabout way speaking of his own 'weakness' the day before. "I think it's nothing if not fair."

"Hmm, you're right." Bokuto chuckled, thinking that it really must have been alright after all. "Nothing wrong with it."

The next instant, they fell into an agreeable silence, listening to each other's breaths and heartbeats, thinking that they should move soon but not willing to ruin the relaxation they had obtained so far. Only when Bokuto's head seemed to weigh harder on his shoulder, did Akaashi speak up.

"Bokuto-san, are you falling asleep?" he asked softly, feeling the ace's body growing limp.

"No… Maybe just a bit." Bokuto answered lethargically, as if he was just woken up.

"We should go shower." Akaashi declared, slowly detaching himself from his sleepy friend, holding him by the shoulders, seeing his closed eyes and his sated grin. Raising his hand, the setter ruffled his monochrome hair, knowing this would wake Bokuto up at best and upset him at worse, repeating his stance from a moment earlier: "Let's go."

When Bokuto finally opened his eyes and began getting up, only one question circled his mind.

"Can we shower together?" he asked, only half-conscious of pronouncing those particular words out loud.

"Yes. Yes, we can." Akaashi replied with a curt nod before getting to the floor and making sure Bokuto followed him to the bathroom by lightly pulling him by the hand.

The bathroom itself was small and cozy – typical of a single-family home – featuring a bathtub, a separate shower and a sink. The shower was separated from the rest of the room only by a glass partition, guaranteeing more space compared to the traditional showers with glass doors. Dragging Bokuto under the shower head, Akaashi turned the knob and they were immediately hit by unpleasantly cool water. It was an unintentional measure, but at least Bokuto seemed to wake up properly now.

As the water droplets hitting his body turned warmer, Bokuto rubbed his eyes and, leaning against the tiled wall, watched as Akaashi washed off the remnants of their most recent activity, before moving on to submerging his head in the hot stream. His eyes were closed (as they obviously would be to stop the water from blinding him, Bokuto felt the need to remind himself) and his expression relaxed, seeming calm in its entirety. Bokuto wondered for a brief moment whether he had always acted so freely in his presence, whether Akaashi always considered showering together, exposing their bodies so natural and could remain unrestrained and undemanding all the same. Has this always been between them and Bokuto only failed to notice it or was this a recent development? Whichever it was, the ace was content with the situation, feeling the mild need to smile as he watched the water hit and ran down his slim body.

"Do you mind if I lather up first?" Akaashi asked all of sudden, polite as always, recalling Bokuto back to the present.

"Oh, sure." The ace nodded, realizing that his intention must have been the fact that the two couldn't fit under the shower all at once, or at least their movements would have been restricted.

With a brief nod, Akaashi stepped away from the shower head, spilled some shower gel on his hands and began massaging it into his body, starting from his shoulders. Bokuto hadn't witnessed the entire process, taking the moment to wash the stiffened gel out of his hair, but what he did see with the corner of his eye was Akaashi's lean figure gracefully covering himself in white foam, seeming so gentle yet containing great power within the unassuming body. Bokuto couldn't quite find the adjective that would do the setter's appearance justice.

"Can we switch?" Akaashi asked for permission to enter the hot stream again and Bokuto took his place with a short hum of approval. Just as he was about to reach for the bottle of soap and follow the setter's suit in diligently cleaning his body, the foam covering a large part of Akaashi was washed off and like the opening of a curtain, revealed a work of art behind. Bokuto found himself staring in wonder. He had seen Akaashi in varying amounts of clothing previously – shirtless, wearing nothing but briefs, and nude, as of late – and it was hardly the nudity that he found most striking. He finally became aware of the simple fact: Akaashi was beautiful. And not in a sexual or romantic way either. He was extremely good-looking and that alone made Bokuto want to smile. But Akaashi was hardly just 'good-looking' and Bokuto felt like that was an inaccurate description, as Akaashi's beauty consisted of _so much more._ Looking back at it, he must have always realized it, but could never quite put it into words. He never felt the need to do so either; not even now. He would keep these thoughts to himself. Simply enjoying the setter's presence would be enough for him, as it always was. Only now he understood his admiration with his friend more clearly. He thought it was most deserved.

"Bokuto-san, your turn." Akaashi announced, freeing the area around the shower head once more and recalling the ace to the current moment. With a tender smile, Bokuto turned to washing himself clean of any and all foam covering his body. Akaashi humbly took in the sight he was presented with.

The setter was hardly one to focus on physical appearance in relations with others, realizing perfectly well that looks could only go so far. But Bokuto appeared to him as what he could only describe as handsome. His body was large and strong, fit with well-formed muscles which were as powerful as they seemed, brought to their current state by hours upon hours of training. But Bokuto never looked bulky or unnatural with all of his muscle tissue; it was simply an integral part of him, something that constituted what Bokuto was as a player and how he appeared to others. Akaashi had to admit that Bokuto looked very good with all of his muscles – a difficult feat in a world where it could be so easy to look as if one was on potent steroids. But to Akaashi, the ace was never merely a heap of pretty abs and biceps, which happened to walk around, play volleyball and express a surprising amount of conflicting emotions over very short periods of time. No, Bokuto was far more than that, and explaining all that he was would be as difficult as motivating him to play on days when he would keep making amateur mistakes and would feel particularly bad about himself. Bokuto was the captain of the team, a senpai, and primarily, a friend. That alone was enough of an explanation for Akaashi.

Finishing his brief train of thought, Akaashi watched as Bokuto offered him an amiable grin, before silencing the shower and finding towels for the both of them. Not being very good with consciously smiling at others, the setter could only nod in response. Fortunately for him, Bokuto wouldn't be very demanding in this form of communication.

Stepping out into the larger part of the bathroom, the two began drying themselves off – Bokuto from his head, and Akaashi from his legs. Only after making sure that his body was no longer wet did the setter look to his friend, checking whether he too was ready to leave and get dressed. It was then that he noticed a change in his appearance, something which he could only initially describe as Bokuto somehow becoming shorter.

"Your hair." Akaashi spoke aloud, his eyes focused on Bokuto's hairstyle, which now, rather than spiking up proudly, was disheveled and fell unevenly around his head, reaching his ears on one side and creating a makeshift bangs on the other. There was something unique about this post-shower hairstyle and the black and white of Bokuto's hair only added to the effect.

"Oh, yeah." Bokuto suddenly remembered about this, something that seemed obvious to him but would obviously be a novelty to someone who had never seen him right after a shower, and glanced at himself in the mirror. "That's what always happens after I wash the gel off; my hair goes everywhere. It's sort of funny."

Bokuto chuckled and Akaashi silently agreed because this made the ace seem like a different person entirely. Naturally he was still Bokuto, but there was something softer about him now, and it wasn't simply the hair. Some part of Akaashi adored the new hairstyle and he felt himself charmed by it. Hesitantly, he lifted his hand until it reached the level of Bokuto's ear. The setter's eyes asked him a silent question. Bokuto only nodded with a light smile, and the next instant, he could feel Akaashi's fingers stroking through his hair. It was a relaxing sensation and the sight of Akaashi gently lifting the corners of his lips brought peace to Bokuto more than anything else.

"It's cute." Akaashi pronounced quietly, brushing down the ace's head once more before allowing his hand to still. For a brief moment, Bokuto watched him in silence holding his breath, as the thought that there was no greater perfection than Akaashi in this world crossed and lingered in his mind. He would never be able to explain what force pushed him to do what he had done in the next instant, and he would regret his decision immediately, but at the moment, he only knew that this was right and that only at that point he would be blessed with such a perfect occasion.

Grasping Akaashi's hand in his own, he leaned in and pressed a kiss into the setter's lips. Akaashi didn't pull away, only stilled in surprise, confused and uncertain of what this could mean and what he should do. When he finally chose to capture Bokuto's lips in his own, the ace suddenly jerked away, releasing Akaashi's hand and watching him in pure terror. What has he _done_? And _why_? Bokuto didn't know the answers. He only knew Akaashi would want to hear them.

"I… I… I'm so…" Bokuto stuttered, paused, stuttered again, failed to find any words which could explain the dire situation, felt tears burning in his eyes, and attempted to continue. "I'm so sorry… I didn't… I don't… I'm not…"

Bokuto now pressed his back against the door, stepping as far away from Akaashi as the small bathroom allowed him to, found himself cornered, looked to the wall then closed his eyes, began curling up and lowering himself to the floor because he couldn't explain this, he didn't know how, and with that he had ruined their friendship and he could never look at Akaashi again because he had done something unforgivable and he felt tears pressing at his eyelids and sobs escaping his lips which stifled any words he could offer, which could still not redeem him from what he had done. Akaashi would forever look at him with those eyes that seemed to judge every inch of his existence and the broken ace could only flinch in disgust from himself. Why had he done it? He wished he could know. He wished he hadn't done it. He wished he could disappear. Anything would be better than squatting on Akaashi's bathroom floor, his head grasped in his hands, in a futile attempt to hide from the foolish crime he had committed.

And then suddenly he felt Akaashi peeling his palms from his face, and placing his own on his jaw and pressing something to his lips. Bokuto knew what it was, would never forget the feeling which came the moment before he had ruined all they had between them. Akaashi kissed him, softly, barely moving his lips, only holding them together gently, in a desperate effort at comfort, at sealing away the panic that had immediately seized Bokuto. Once the setter pulled away, Bokuto felt he could breathe calmly again and could at least try to look at his friend once more.

"Why?" Bokuto asked, seeing Akaashi's soft features, and not a hint of disgust or displeasure in his expression. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because it's alright." Akaashi spoke, looking to the ground because he himself found it difficult to explain. "Because you did it first and it was alright. Because there's nothing wrong with this. Because… I wanted to show you that it's okay to do this."

"Isn't it gross?" Bokuto asked and it was as if he was asking himself because it wasn't gross at all, but he felt that it should have been. He sniffled and wiped his eyes. He was slowly calming.

"It isn't. Not to me. And I want you to know that." Akaashi admitted, glancing at Bokuto to reaffirm his statement, but not feeling quite strong enough to look at him all the time. He also didn't quite understand this. Watching Bokuto's reactions soften and his emotions cooling, he also found himself conflicted as to why they were doing this and what it meant.

"You… you don't hate me, right?" Bokuto asked, hesitantly, feeling like he had to know and at the same time realizing he didn't quite want to hear the answer.

"Of course I don't hate you, Bokuto-san." Akaashi now looked to him, locking eyes with the ace, and speaking firmly, genuinely. "We're friends. I would never hate you over something this small. You're important to me."

"Really?" Bokuto's face was immediately lit up by a wide smile.

"Really." Akaashi nodded and Bokuto knew he wasn't lying.

"And you don't think I'm gay or something, right?" the ace wanted a final confirmation, and this was also a question addressed at himself.

"No, I don't." Akaashi shook his head. "Many guys kiss their close friends just because they enjoy the feeling. It doesn't need to mean anything. Just like… our recent activities. It's just to relieve tension, to improve our bond. And I'm alright if you would like to do more of this."

"Are you?" Bokuto asked hopefully, and he couldn't quite understand why he wanted more than they were already doing, but he was more than willing to kiss him again and explore that realm of close physical relations deeper. He was back to his own self now. His heartbeat had calmed and his muscles were relaxing. All thanks to Akaashi. Somewhere in his subconscious, the ace felt really grateful for wading off a crushing panic attack. He wouldn't have done it without him.

"Yes." Akaashi nodded. "But perhaps we should get dressed now. I can't have you catching a cold, Bokuto-san."

And they both proceeded to get up from the bathroom floor, wrap themselves in towels and walk back into Akaashi's room. There, Bokuto proudly bared his SleepBROver t-shirt and a pair of trusty sweats and the setter, dressing himself in his own preferred sleeping garments could only smile lightly at how happy the ace seemed now. As was typical with Bokuto, after his lows came the highs and he often became excited and joyful and sweet during those. Considering the situation, Akaashi couldn't help being the least bit happy with having the good old Bokuto back. It was much easier to calm his excitement and still keep him positive than getting him up from his moments of doubt, anger and self-loathing. Not to mention his positivity was admirable and Akaashi sometimes almost wished to be as cheerful as Bokuto. In any case, the crisis was over for good and the two could spend a relaxed evening together.

True to what Bokuto had told his mom, they had played some video games after the shower, among talking about school and team-related topics. This lasted until the ace's energy supply finally began running dry and he suddenly craved nothing than going to bed. Akaashi briefly asked whether he would like to sleep on a futon or with him in his bed and the answer was as obvious as he had expected. Bokuto would like to sleep with him and Akaashi wouldn't mind at all. They were _bonding_ after all and this much would have been natural for friends as close as they were becoming.

Bokuto would sleep from the side of the wall and Akaashi would sleep closer to the edge of the bed – a fine arrangement considering how the setter hardly turned in his sleep. Laying down beside Bokuto as he turned off the light, he couldn't quite anticipate how close and warm he really felt, but how distant it seemed to him altogether. Suddenly, an idea crossed his mind, which then quickly turned into a desire. He only hoped Bokuto would agree to comply with it.

"Bokuto-san." He whispered, the next instant hearing the ace's tired hum, signaling that he was still awake, but this state wouldn't last long. "Can you turn to face me?"

Bokuto made the effort with a muffled groan and his face met unexpectedly with Akaashi's hair and his slim back. And here he mildly hoped he would get a good-night kiss. What could have been the point otherwise?

"Can you throw an arm over me?" Akaashi asked quietly, feeling Bokuto's hand soon wrap around his waist. The next instant, the ace's body seemed to twitch.

"You want to spoon?" Bokuto asked, surprised.

"Yes?" Akaashi responded and he found it unusual how straightforward he could be about it. The setter himself could never put it into such clear words.

"Then just tell me." Bokuto released a tired chuckle, fitting his knees into the bend of Akaashi's legs. "We're sleeping together anyway, I can do this much."

"Thank you." Akaashi pronounced before feeling Bokuto's arm weigh on him heavier. His friend was falling asleep. He was alright with that, as he had no further requests for the night. They hadn't performed any other forms of sexual bonding that night, and Akaashi wasn't quite certain whether he considered it a pity or thought that this much was enough for the first time anyway. In any case, they still had the next day. He was certain both Bokuto and him wouldn't let it pass by without trying out another unusual sexual practice. Silently, as if holding the secret from everyone else, he was looking forward to that moment. Half-asleep, he only admitted to himself that he was happy he went along with Bokuto's Skype sex idea. It was proving to be a greatly pleasant matter after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hnnng Bokuto with his hair down is my favorite form of Bokuto. :3 If you would like some help in visualizing how beautiful he is with that hairstyle, check out ikipin's art on Tumblr because they get it on point.
> 
> As always, thank you for reading, I wish you a great week and I hope to see your thoughts in the comments. ^^
> 
> And yep, the updates will continue being slow because life. 3 Hope you'll stay with me anyway. :*


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Guess who's back from the dead! Just when you think it's been forever since I last updated anything, I indeed come back. ;)
> 
> But, no matter, I come with over 9k words of content to appease you after all these months, so you can forgive me~
> 
> And a random thought before we dive back into the story: I know I said I wanted to make this more than just PWP, but with the current amount of smut it might seem like I forgot about that. xD No worries, the plot is surrounding you at all times, you just gotta let it develop. :*
> 
> And on that note, I hope you can enjoy this~

When morning came, it was Akaashi who woke up first. For a brief moment he wondered why he was sleeping so close to the edge of the bed, before becoming aware of the warmth pressed to his back and the arm still pulling him close. Only then did he remember of Bokuto who was staying over for the weekend, whom he asked for spooning the night before and with whom he was releasing their mutual sexual tension for the past two days. He quickly blushed at the thought, but to say that he didn't enjoy the recently shifting relations between them would be to lie.

Carefully, so as not to disturb Bokuto's sleep, he turned to face him. Just as he had assumed by his slow breaths, his friend was still asleep, his unusually disheveled hair covering his forehead and resting on the pillow. Akaashi had not yet gotten used to Bokuto's casual hairstyle – the one he ended up with when he didn't stylize his hair – but he could say that there was something sweet about it and its precise novelty made him appreciate it all the more. Akaashi silently wondered how many people apart from his family were given the chance to see the hairstyle and deep inside hoped that he was one of the few special people who got to witness him like this. Akaashi wouldn't know how to describe it, but he found pleasure in watching the ace and his gentle features.

Just as he pondered the question of Bokuto's good looks his friend twitched in his sleep and a strand of hair fell onto his eyes. Instinctively, Akaashi reached to his temples and brushed the black and white bangs away and before he knew it, warm brown eyes looked at him drowsily. A soft smile followed.

"Good morning, Akaashi." Bokuto pronounced slowly, his voice still raspy from sleep.

"I'm sorry, did I wake you up?" the setter apologized sheepishly, not meaning to end Bokuto's rest just yet and feeling considerably guilty for it.

"Not really, I was waiting for you to wake up anyway." He replied with a yawn and Akaashi was certain this was a lie because he had been fast asleep just a moment ago, but he decided against arguing and found it almost charming how Bokuto had said that to make him feel better. Granted, it was an odd change of roles from the usual, but he wouldn't complain. Especially that Bokuto seemed to be in one of his better moods.

"How are you feeling, Bokuto-san?" he asked, hoping the ace would understand what he was hinting at.

"Good. You?" he answered laconically, stretching his limbs in the process.

"Fine. And how do you feel about… what we were doing yesterday?" Akaashi forced himself to speak his thoughts more overtly.

"Oh." Bokuto finally understood the question. "Positively bonded."

He nodded with a satisfied smirk.

"I'm glad to hear that." Akaashi agreed, feeling the heavy corners of his lips lift gently. "Would you like to try similar things today as well?"

"If you also want to, then yeah definitely." Bokuto answered confidently but his eyes found it hard to focus on Akaashi's gentle, if not deadpan, expression.

"Anything specific you'd like?" Akaashi probed, not only to get a better sense of Bokuto's preferences, but also because he found himself wanting more contact as soon as it was feasible. Naturally, he would keep the latter to himself.

"Well…" Bokuto felt himself blush and looked to the ceiling.

"If you have anything, please tell me. It's important to be open about these things when growing closer to each other." The setter laid out his reasonable arguments, and after some thought, added a phrase that should have the expected effect on the ace. "I won't judge you for anything."

Bokuto hummed for a moment before turning back to his friend and blurting out: "I really want to kiss you."

"Yes, I…" Akaashi's cheeks reddened heavily as he found himself unusually flustered. "I'd like to kiss you, too."

"Really?" Bokuto's eyes lit up with hope so that the setter had to lower his gaze to stay calm.

"Yeah…" The dark-haired confirmed, still not quite comprehending why he was getting so embarrassed about such a simple desire. He was relieved to see that a familiar flush also stained Bokuto's cheeks.

"Can we now?" the ace asked, a certain excitement in his voice, which made Akaashi's heart skip the odd beat for no clear reason. The setter didn't give him a verbal response, only brought his hand around his head, drawing him closer until their lips met and their eyes fluttered shut. Bokuto's lips felt warm, but stiff, as though afraid to move. Akaashi closed his own over his friend's upper lip and gently prompted him into action, catching and releasing it gently, time and time again. He ran his tongue along it in a soft lick, testing the waters, coaxing his friend to reciprocate the act, to taste a deeper sort of kiss.

It wasn't long before Bokuto seemed to have awakened from the initial pleasant surprise that paralyzed him and he slowly mimicked his friend's movements before allowing his tongue to brush against Akaashi's and slip deeper into his mouth, feeling his body becoming hot as he delved into an entirely new experience. He soon held Akaashi's back, pressing him closer to himself, losing himself in the erratic movement of their tongues, hearing his friend's labored breaths and his own heart beating faster. He then retreated slightly, threading his fingers through Akaashi's lightly curled hair and teasingly but gently pressed his teeth into his lip causing a muffled moan to escape his friend and reverberate in his mouth, bringing him to a state of near ecstasy. Then, slowly, he eased the pace, returned to simple lip kisses and reveled in the raw pleasure of their lips colliding with one another.

Before he could fully register it, they were laying side by side, panting.

"Did I do well?" Bokuto asked, glancing at the setter's flushed features and his closed eyes.

Bokuto briefly recalled performing something similar the night before but was now glad Akaashi had taken the initiative. He felt like he hadn't pushed anything onto him and his friend was acting of his own accord, and knowing that he wanted this as much as he did had put him at ease better than anything else. But now he hoped to hear his honest thoughts after all was done.

"Mhm. Very well." Akaashi hummed, finding himself uncharacteristically embarrassed once more.

"Hell yeah!" Bokuto almost fist pumped under the covers in genuine joy. "I've never done this before so I wasn't sure if that's how it should go. You were really good too, you know?"

Bokuto smiled at him gently as he uttered the praise but the setter focused on a different part of his comment. "You've never done this before?"

"Nope." The ace confirmed, following it up with a light shrug. "I never really got the chance. But no harm done, I've still got years to perfect my kissing technique. Though I guess it won't be a first anymore. Not that I'm complaining."

And again that amiable smile lit up his face as the captain sent Akaashi a wink and the latter was certain his heart skipped a beat. He was expecting Bokuto, with his outgoing and amusing personality, his good looks and his natural way of getting along with most people to have had at the very least three or four girlfriends since middle school. He almost felt guilty for making Bokuto share his first kiss with a friend, and not a person he genuinely loved and he would have apologized and assured him that this one didn't count, if not for three things. For one, what he just experienced felt too good to befoul it with something as unpleasant as guilt. Secondly, the way Bokuto was looking at him with the corners of his lips lifted in unhidden satisfaction and his gently smiling eyes were proof that he did not expect an apology and, on the contrary, seemed to expect more of similar acts. And finally, Akaashi had as well…

"What about you?" Bokuto asked. "You ever done it before?"

"No. I've never kissed anyone before." He answered simply, deadpan, as per his usual expression. He found it quite obvious that he wouldn't have kissed anyone before, not being a master of conversation and not busying his time with vulgar hitting on girls. He wasn't in the hormone-induced rush that his peers always persisted in either. But that didn't mean he never wanted to try kissing someone. As he thought of something to add, his features seemed to soften for a brief moment. "But I would say you were a good first kiss partner."

"Really?! You've never kissed anyone?" The ace responded to the least relevant, in Akaashi's opinion, point. "But you're so hot!"

Akaashi didn't see that one coming.

He couldn't quite stop the blush that flooded his cheeks.

"I-is that so?" his eyes wandered to the side as the compliment left a pleasant warmth in his chest.

"Seriously, man." Bokuto went on in the most genuine tone. "You're one of the most beautiful guys in Fukurodani at least, and all of Tokyo at most. You-"

Finding himself too flattered to function properly, Akaashi pressed his lips to Bokuto's once more and shut him up with a kiss.

"You talk too much." The setter mumbled after releasing his friend, not knowing how to otherwise take such unusual praise.

"Don't I hear that a lot?" The ace chuckled, being in his good mood and not taking it to heart. "What I meant to say is that you kiss well. It felt awesome."

"I could say the same thing." Akaashi admitted, the hot sensation still stirring up his chest as he thought about it.

"And how cool is that?" Bokuto spoke in his loud excitement. "How many guys do you know that can kiss each other, admit that it was great and still act perfectly normal? Screw sexual insecurity; we're, like, _miles_ past that. We're ultra-friends. Best of bros. The mating mates which can feel completely cool with getting it on, enjoying some good intimate times and then acting like the buddies we are. Am I right or am I right?"

Akaashi couldn't quite tell when they went from co-leaders of a high school volleyball team to _best of bros_ but he felt undeniably happy of this ultra-friendzone and was glad that the odd form of _bonding_ was coming into effect so quickly.

He nodded in response and softly laid his forehead against Bokuto's, as though to signify that this, something quite unthinkable before (or at least, something he thought he would most certainly never attempt) was now not only acceptable, but could even become commonplace. He saw Bokuto's smile and was only assured that he was happy he chose this particular ball of grins, chuckles and affection as his bonding partner.

They spent a few quiet moments in that position before Akaashi asked a pragmatic question that briefly passed his mind: "Is there anything you'd like for breakfast?"

"Would it be weird if I said 'you'?" The ace laughed in response.

"Just a tiny bit." Akaashi replied with a lighter breath, the thing most akin to laughter to escape his mouth.

"Seriously though, would you like to… do something before we get out of bed?" Bokuto hinted, avoiding speaking directly of what he meant, finding it far more awkward to speak of such matters, than to actually _perform_ them.

"Well, to be perfectly honest…" Akaashi trailed off, playing into the awkward atmosphere of not saying things out loud and rather finding Bokuto's wrist under the covers and pulling his hand to feel his own arousal. "I think yes."

The ace didn't need another call to action, growing accustomed to their sharing intimacies, and began softly stroking down the clothed member under his palm. He was glad he wasn't the only one to end up reacting in such a way after the very pleasant kiss that had after all sparked some thirst in him. However, he wouldn't be greedy and would take his time, for once focusing more on Akaashi's desires than his own. And just as he thought so, the setter spoke up.

"Bokuto-san," he began, his voice slightly breathy. "Can I have a request?"

"Yes?" Bokuto answered, open to any suggestions.

"I'd like to try something… different." Akaashi hesitated, only glancing at his friend. "But it's really different compared to what we've done so far. Would you be willing to hear about it?"

Bokuto agreed enthusiastically, saying that he was willing to do more than just hearing about it, but this didn't seem to relax Akaashi's tense body. Bokuto couldn't quite understand why the setter was being so cautious about the topic, thinking that having gone this far meant that there was nothing physical to be ashamed of. When his friend sat up and began explaining that he wanted to utilize a certain _orifice_ in his body and he would understand if Bokuto found it too gross to give it a shot, Bokuto realized exactly why he acted the way he had.

Akaashi had no trouble being blunt. Bokuto could easily confirm this, Akaashi could be as blunt as a metal baseball bat, and sometimes his clear comments on what Bokuto was doing wrong in his spikes could bring the ace to utter resignation and irritated sulking (which, to his credit, he would also later talk him out of and even apologize, admitting that he was too rough). It was no secret that Akaashi could be blunt. What only now occurred to Bokuto was that he was only blunt when speaking of _others_. Talking about his own desires openly, wondering how they would be received was not his strength. Add to this the sexual nature of the topic at hand, and it was clear that the setter found his voice describing everything in almost disgusting detail uncomfortable. Hearing the process explained in his words, Bokuto wasn't very surprised that they were both looking away from each other, fumbling with their hands or pinching at the sheets.

The ace blushed and bared an awkward smile at first, not anticipating the option of entering his friend's body in any shape or form (and certainly not expecting it so soon), but as Akaashi familiarized him with the process, he slowly felt himself accept the thought and understood what the setter had expected of him. By the end, Bokuto only grinned and said that he thought it could be interesting and he would be happy to try another new practice with his friend.

After a crash course on the location of the prostate and the do's and don'ts of anal fingering, Bokuto considered himself more or less ready to approach the topic from the practical side. Akaashi drew a bottle of lubricant from his nightstand and, explaining how he had come into its possession by getting curious one day and having never actually used it, the setter attempted to feign indifference and his usual coolness, but Bokuto could tell his feelings were closer to embarrassment and nervousness. Bokuto figured that he would feel the same in his place.

Before long, Akaashi was lying on his side, facing away from Bokuto, his body exposed from the waist down. Bokuto, his fingers already slicked up and ready, positioned himself behind him, resting his head on the bent arm, his elbow digging into the pillow.

"Tell me if you want me to stop, yeah?" The ace wanted to be sure, his hand already hovering near his friend's pale buttocks.

"Of course." Akaashi only nodded, already prepared to communicate his discomfort, should any issues arise.

Bokuto then pressed his finger, cold and wet with lube, against his entrance and an involuntary shiver came down his friend's back. Cautiously, he pushed it in, taking his time and reaching only to the knuckle. Akaashi was tight and the ace wondered how to proceed without causing him pain.

"Akaashi," Bokuto spoke softly right above his ear. "Relax a bit."

The setter's initial instinct was to twitch and tense up further, finding his soothing voice a surprise, and a rather arousing one at that. He quickly processed his request, took a few deep breaths and did his best to consciously unclench his muscles.

"Yes, that's good." Bokuto informed him, his voice unusually sweet as he wiggled his finger inside him, entering deeper and causing a foreign but pleasant sensation to slowly spread in his abdomen. Akaashi released a few quiet moans into the pillow as his friend rubbed against his walls. He felt a light burn in his insides and the ace was still far away from the most anticipated spot inside of him, but the sole feeling of doing something so strange and unconventional brought his mind to a state of blissful excitement. His body only had to follow suit.

Akaashi reached down to his hard cock and began pumping it with a number of satisfying, well-measured strokes. The mild pain he felt was quickly fading as arousal took the place of reason and sensibility.

"Add another." He panted out to the ace. He could swear he would be ashamed of his needy voice if he weren't at the gates of inexplicable pleasure.

"Huh?" Bokuto seemed to be taken off guard.

"Another finger. Inside." Akaashi only breathed laconically and pressed his ass into his friend's hand. He hoped the ace wouldn't make him repeat himself again. He only allowed himself such shamelessness because he knew Bokuto would be alright with it. He most certainly hoped that Bokuto _was still_ truly alright with it.

This time the ace budged and diligently pushed a second finger into him. A quiet groan escaped Akaashi's lips as he felt the fingers stretching him, slowly moving in scissor-like motions, opening him and bringing both a light stinging pain and the embarrassing pleasure of allowing someone to enter him. Funnily enough, he always thought his heart would be opened before his body but this brought him all the more enjoyment from the experience. As his friend laid himself down and slightly repositioned his hand, he spent a few seconds wondering what would Bokuto think if he knew how filthy his thoughts were.

Akaashi lowered the frequency and strength of his strokes now, as Bokuto's fingers plunged deeper into him, nearing his prostate and providing a gratifying amount of stimulation. He was therefore surprised upon hearing the well familiar sound of flesh fervently rubbing against flesh. His clouded mind finally concluded that Bokuto must have found his own arousal too painful not to take care of it simultaneously. He had to applaud his friend for being able to focus on pleasing two beings at once. Just as he thought so, the ace's thrusting fingers began reaching the key spot inside him.

The sensation reached him slowly. First, it was only a strange, more pleasurable push. The next one seemed to reach even deeper and multiplied the feeling he received with the first one. With each following hit, the tension within him mounted and he found himself quickly overwhelmed by the intensity of the pleasure. Now to only achieve release.

He grasped his swollen member firmly and gave it desperate stroke after stroke until his vision went dark, body froze in climax and a long pathetic whine escaped his throat. Even after coming, he breathed heavily and felt the aftershocks of his orgasm pulse through his body with each heartbeat. He finally fell onto his back on the mattress, remembering that he wasn't alone. His hand searched for Bokuto blindly, his eyes remaining closed, still reveling in the serenity filling his body.

Akaashi finally found Bokuto's chest and followed it up to his neck and all the way to his cheek. He lightly threaded his fingers through his friend's hair and slowly leaned in.

"Bokuto-san…" he whispered breathily, and his name sounded as though it was made to be pronounced by his voice.

"Akaashi…" the ace answered softly, so unlike the raw, excited or often vexed manner in which he called him during practice. This was a different sort of _Akaashi_ ; one which not even the owner of the name could properly define, but had no trouble with understanding the emotions lying beneath the sound of his surname.

Akaashi closed the distance between them, allowing their lips to meet in a slow kiss; a satisfied one, virtually a kiss of gratitude and respect, an innocent 'thank you' for the physicality they exchanged but a moment ago.

Having let go of one another and allowing their breaths to calm, Bokuto was the first one to speak up. "I'm sorry, we made a mess."

Only then did Akaashi open his eyes and notice the two dark spots on his sheets where both of them had released their pent up fluids. So Bokuto simply jerked himself off in the end. He didn't seem the least bit upset however, so the setter figured his friend was perfectly happy with that outcome. He only sighed. "That's alright. I'll change the sheets when we're finished for the day."

There was something very promising in Akaashi's phrasing and Bokuto replied with a smile and a satisfied hum as he pulled his friend closer. After a longer while of cuddling, the ace finally spoke up: "Hey, can I ask a random question?"

"Yeah?" Akaashi responded calmly, although on the inside, he was mildly worried that Bokuto would ask him _why_ exactly did he want to try anal, especially after they got off in front of each other only two times before. He didn't have a proper answer; he wasn't sure himself. He would have to say only that he trusted his friend enough to let him do it. If he were asked why had he never done it before, the response would be that he always thought that he could achieve a better experience with a partner, hence someone he could trust, hence Bokuto. Fortunately for him, the question went in an entirely different direction.

"What are we having for breakfast?" Akaashi almost felt like scoffing at himself after hearing it. Of course, he knew very well how sensitive and anxious Bokuto could get, how quickly his mood could change, and how easily he could go from calm to panic, and he expected at least a degree of this to express itself now in some sort of manifestation of self-doubt or insecurity, after taking part in something so out of the ordinary but no. Bokuto was merely his simple, innocent, happy self. It seemed like he was willing to accept much more, so long as it went under the label of 'bro bonding'. Not that Akaashi could blame him – he himself had allowed himself for much more 'for the sake of broship', as they told one another. It would be difficult to deny that it was a very effective mindset for intimate friendships between males.

After wiping themselves clean, they marched down to Akaashi's kitchen only to discover that the fridge was nearly empty. The setter was meant to go shopping the previous evening and stock up on food products but finally got side-tracked by _bonding_ of all things, and not only ignored his duty, but forgot it entirely. He was hoping this was only a momentary weakness of his and Bokuto's carelessness wasn't beginning to rub off on him (despite the amount of _rubbing_ they had indeed performed in recent hours).

Having considered all options (including the one in which they would have to get dressed and grab something from the nearest store), they decided to use the humble variety of ingredients they produced from the fridge and the cabinets and prepare a simplistic, yet satisfying meal – omurice. The ever so universal dish consisted of fried rice wrapped in an omelet and topped with ketchup – a satiating meal that would be difficult to ruin even by two high school boys with little to none culinary experience.

The two of them decided that it would be safest to let Bokuto fry the rice, and allow Akaashi to tend to the frying of the actual omelet, considering that the latter was a task that would require far more finesse than Bokuto could summon. The ace also promised to decorate the omelets with ketchup once he was done and Akaashi only agreed with a shrug, aware that the simple, all but meaningless task would at least make his friend happy.

Once the rice was beginning to brown to an appetizing color, Bokuto decreased the fire and the setter began heating up the pan which would be dedicated to the omelet. Just as he had whisked the eggs and milk together in a separate bowl, he lost Bokuto from his line of sight and quickly found himself embraced from behind. His hands wrapped around Akaashi's waist, pressing his back tightly into Bokuto's arms, as the latter pressed his lips gently into the crook of his neck. The setter tensed up, startled.

"I'm sorry. Can I do this?" Bokuto asked timidly after a moment, slightly relaxing his grip, as though having realized what he was doing, and how his friend might have found it uncomfortable. Akaashi only sighed and put his own hands on top of the ace's, embracing him as best as the position allowed him to.

"As long as we're alone, you can do anything you want with me." He replied calmly, speaking his mind without hesitation. They were bonding, there was no reason to hold back. He would be sure to let him know if he was displeased with anything, so for the time being, he would allow Bokuto to act as he chose fit. The fact that he _wanted_ the ace to show him affection in any given manner, Akaashi would keep to himself.

A brief moment later, Bokuto leaned over his friend's shoulder and tilting his head, pulled him into a gentle kiss. Their lips slowly collided with one another and tongues only occasionally left their own mouths. It was an early afternoon Sunday kiss; it brought along feelings of relaxation and soft fulfillment alike. There was little more they needed on such a pleasant day off.

Smelling the hot oil which marked the readiness of the pan for the raw omelet mix, Akaashi pulled away from the kiss, briefly explaining the necessity to eat in hopes of appeasing Bokuto with the promise of food, to which the ace reluctantly agreed, despite the selfish desire to continue the kiss. He only then remembered of something he meant to say.

"You can also do anything with me. Just so you know. I'm pretty open." Bokuto declared stiffly, his voice monotone and almost disinterested, resting against the cabinets and staring out the window which let a few warm rays of sun into the kitchen. He sighed, thinking that he could have said it in a cooler way, but the difficulty in speaking of such things considerably hampered his usual confidence. In silent response, Akaashi only released the pan for a short moment, ruffled the many loose strands of his friend's hair and nodded with a gentle expression. Bokuto smiled, quickly forgetting the issue of his uncoolness and shifting his focus to the delicious omelet which was deftly created under Akaashi's careful hands.

It wasn't long before the dish was complete and steaming as though in an invitation to be eaten, placed neatly on two plates.

"Now, you sit down and let me perform my art." Boukto grinned, wielding a bottle of ketchup, his proudly flexed muscles revealing themselves from under the sleepBROver t-shirt. Akaashi only shook his head indulgently and took a seat at the dining table.

A moment later, Bokuto served the dish with a satisfied hum. He lined the plates one above the other and turned them so that the ketchup on the omelets formed two words. The word written in ketchup together spelled the words 'best bros'.

"That's cute." Akaashi almost chuckled, at the sight of which Bokuto could only stare in wonder. Seeing his friend happy brought him more joy than most other pastimes. He figured that a smile would really fit his deadpan setter. He hoped he could elicit a proper one from him soon.

After a brief moment, the ace's lovely calligraphy was smeared on the omelets and the two finally dug into their long-awaited meals. Bokuto realized how hungry he was only after taking the first bite. Both of them wolfed down their portions in under five minutes and would ask for seconds, if not for the fact that they would need at least one separate stomach for that, not to mention more ingredients. The meal was a truly delicious one and they congratulated one another on their fine-tuned cooperation which allowed them to consume something so palatable. Bokuto even hinted at this being the effect of their intimate connection and Akaashi could only agree, his expression thoughtful, noting how physical contact also helped to improve the relations in social and daily life. The ace was happy to know that they both had a similar view on the issue and that said contact would not end soon.

After the late breakfast (or perhaps, brunch, as the clock struck 1 pm before they finished their meal), they returned to Akaashi's room. There, the setter posed the key question: "So, shall we get dressed, or…"

"Or?" Bokuto followed up, knowing where his friend was going, but wanting to tease him a little.

"Or is there anything you'd like to try before I change the sheets?" The setter pronounced, cool and deadpan all the while. After his own request in the morning, he expected to repay the favor soon.

Bokuto stood there for a moment, staring into space with his eyes half-lidded in concentration and rubbing his chin in thought. When he finally found his true desire after digging through the kinky thought storage area of his brain, his expression changed to a far more sheepish one, his gaze dropped to the floor and a small blush crept up on his cheeks.

"By the way, the thing we did before breakfast," Bokuto stalled his answer, as though he could delay his own embarrassment by temporarily shifting attention away from himself. "Did it feel good?"

"Yes." Akaashi answered simply, also looking away from his friend, allowing the awkward air to fill the whole room. "It felt unexpectedly good. I found it incredibly arousing."

"Then um…" the ace still hesitated, swaying from one leg to the other, but seeming more convinced to speak now. The sentence came out slowly, growing quieter with every word. "Could… could you… do the same to me…?"

"Yes, of course." Akaashi blinked in surprise. He wasn't expecting Bokuto to be interested in something most straight guys found either awkward, weird, or simply unacceptable, but on the other hand, most straight guys didn't masturbate with their friends either. The setter recognized that the two of them were special among heterosexual men, all but superior in embracing their sexuality and still performing sexual acts with their friends, at least. By that point, he had learned to be proud of what he did with Bokuto. He would keep his pride to himself at all costs, but he was happy to know that they were different than most – and perhaps even better in some aspects.

"Really?" Bokuto looked at least equally surprised after hearing his answer, as if he weren't the one who made the request.

"Yes, certainly. But we'll change positions, if you don't mind?" Akaashi specified the details, pulling the now unnecessary covers off the bed, leaving only the pillow and the slightly stained sheets.

"Yeah, I trust you know what you're doing." The ace only answered coyly as his friend cleared their 'sexy space', as his brain suggested him to call it. Akaashi also hoped he knew what he would be doing in a moment.

"So… could you undress and sit in front of me?" the setter instructed him, sitting himself down on the lower end of the bed, having an unshakable feeling that his speaking was too formal and he sounded more like doctor talking to his patient about an examination he was about to perform rather than a friend trying to get intimate with his mate. He wasn't very good at speaking and he didn't know of a better way to get around this so he accepted the embarrassment that spread around them. It would all disappear once they began the act anyway. He decided he could survive that much.

Bokuto soon joined him on the bed, now fully naked, his face red and his member still flaccid. The ace thought it didn't look as impressive in such a state and felt an extra dose of shame piling on his already self-conscious mind. Before he could feel too bad about himself, Akaashi told him to lay down, spread his legs and put the pillow under his hips, exposing him even further. He wished he could be intoxicated with lust, as he usually was, to not sense the silliness of his position. Just as he thought so, Akaashi leaned in, cupped his face and pressed a sloppy wet kiss onto his lips.

"I'll take good care of you." He whispered into his ear as one of his hands traveled down his chest, to his navel until he got a hold of his dick and began firmly stroking down it. "You can relax now."

Bokuto's eyes fluttered shut and his mouth slightly opened with a quiet gasp when his friend began rubbing him down. He usually didn't begin his masturbation routine completely limp, so the sensation of hardening in someone's hand was a surprisingly pleasurable variation, enough to cause his voice to softly seep through his breaths and a blush to spill on his cheeks. When Akaashi felt he was stiff enough, he shifted from beside him, letting his fingers gently glide down his chest and abdomen and sat between his open legs, bent at the knee in anticipation of what was to come.

Bokuto found himself almost disappointed when Akaashi's hand left his cock in order to coat his fingers in lubricant, forcing him to stimulate himself for a short moment, which compared to his friend's calm but dedicated pumping, felt almost boring. Fortunately, it wasn't long before the setter peeled his hand from his member to signify that he would aid him in that activity. Except that wasn't the only thing he intended to inform him of.

"Bokuto-san." Akaashi's voice wasn't louder than a whisper, but its sultry tone betrayed that this would be no ordinary comment or command. "From this point on, could I ask you to not touch yourself?"

Bokuto opened his eyes, looking at his friend sitting between his legs with knitted eyebrows and confusion written all over his face. He didn't know whether he did something wrong or whether the setter had a proper reason to ask him to stop. Akaashi didn't need a verbal queue to understand his reaction.

"Trust me. I won't do anything unpleasant to you. I just want to ask this of you. You won't regret it." He explained himself without actual describing his intent, and only added at the end: "Please."

"Hmm, okay." Bokuto answered with a small smile, closed his eyes again, and laid his head on the pillow, resting his hands above his head, quickly forgetting about any and all embarrassment of being in such a compromising position and being told not to stimulate his arousal. The setter was glad that his friend was so accepting that day.

A brief moment later, Akaashi was lightly pressing Bokuto's cock to his navel, rubbing down it with an open palm, his other hand reaching between his friend's buttocks. The ace twitched slightly at first contact, not knowing what to make of the cold wetness as Akaashi's fingers circled his entrance. As one digit slowly pushed its way inside, he found himself contracting against the intrusion. It didn't hurt, but it felt odd enough for his body to initially reject it.

All of a sudden, he felt licking on his inner thigh and couldn't help wondering when the setter changed positions. He didn't get to think of this for too long, however, as his friend lightly bit the soft flesh of his leg, and proceeded to suck on it, slowly moving on to a different place, where his teeth closed on the skin with a little more force, before he lapped at it again. Meanwhile, his finger worked its way deeper into Bokuto as his friend involuntarily relaxed, distracted by the care paid to his thighs. Slowly, Akaashi eased his bites and limited himself to kissing the reddened spots, all the while sliding his finger in and out of Bokuto, until he left his legs alone entirely and simply watched the ace's flushed, wincing face as he increased the speed of his hand. He felt hardly any resistance from inside and heard his friend's heavy breaths, which allowed him to conclude that he was quite successful so far.

Before long, a second finger had entered him and Bokuto wouldn't have noticed it if not for the scissor-like stretch which Akaashi began to employ. He tightened in the first instant in surprise, but soon began relaxing, realizing that the light burn he felt from it was a rather exciting one. Soon, the setter was able to insert both of the fingers fully into Bokuto and as he did so, his friend released a longer breathy moan. He was ready, Akaashi concluded. Finding the correct spot deep inside him, he began curling his fingers upwards, making sure to hit the center of the gland.

Bokuto felt as his friend's fingers entered far into him, increasing his arousal, and then without a warning he was hit with a wave of unexpected pleasure. He whimpered quietly and flexed his hips upwards to meet the rhythmical pushes as Akaashi continued to aim at the sensitive spot and the ace found himself amazed how he went from feeling 'alright' to 'fantastic' within seconds. The setter however quickly lowered his pace, concerned that otherwise his panting, tense-muscled friend could end too quickly.

Now slowly and lightly pushing at the special spot, he reached to Bokuto's cock, gently held it at the base, and without any warning took the swollen head into his mouth. Bokuto's entire body jolted under him, his back pressing into the mattress, his hands covering his eyes, his mouth releasing short desperate breaths and whines, as Akaashi slowly lapped at the drops of precum gathered at his slit.

"Aka- Ah… ka. Ak-ah… hnn." Bokuto seemed to attempt articulating his friend's name, but it now appeared too long to ever pronounce, given his all but overstimulated state.

Tasting an increase in bitter saltiness in his mouth, the setter removed himself from Bokuto's cock, leaving it without as much as a rub. Just when the ace thought he could catch his breath, Akaashi put all of his energy into tapping at the spot inside of him, increasing the force of his presses with what felt like each second.

Bokuto's entire body tensed up, jerked and shivered and before he could fully understand the pressure built up inside him, he gritted his teeth and came with a high-pitched cry. The orgasm hit him in waves, each extremely strong, though carrying a smaller bit of pleasure each time as his entrance tightened on Akaashi's fingers. As he opened his eyes in curiosity, still dazed as though the pleasure continued, he noticed the brimming amounts of semen still escaping his cock, dripping the final drops onto his now heavily white-spotted abdomen.

"I… I've never come this much." He pronounced quietly in shock, staring at the warm fluid, absolutely certain that he never actually spoke the words aloud.

"Akaashi!" he sat up quickly with a large grin, wincing lightly as the setter removed his fingers from inside him. "What sort of masturbation genius are you? That was so cool!"

Akaashi only blushed a darker shade of red as his friend threw an arm over him and kissed him on the cheek, wondering if the question was a rhetorical one. "It's your body, Bokuto-san. I just helped you get there."

"Well, you're the best help out there." Bokuto announced with certainty, before some thought crossed his expression. "Wait, did I come just from my ass?"

With as often as Akaashi had to deal with the ace's mood swings and could recognize exactly 94% of his triggers related to volleyball, never in his life did he think he would have to answer such questions, and therefore found himself unprepared in terms of his present reply. He had little to no idea which answer would please or upset his friend in this situation. "Yes, basically yes." He only nodded in confirmation, feeling that it was close to the truth, considering his oral stimulation, but also the fact that Bokuto came entirely through the motion of his fingers.

"Sweeeet." He hummed, happy. "I mean, sort of embarrassing, but awesome nonetheless."

Akaashi's instincts didn't fail him. He sighed with relief. Once again, he knew just the thing to say.

"I don't think you have anything to be embarrassed about. That's partially what the prostate is for." The setter added, not wanting his friend to feel like what they had just done was odd in any way.

"Right. That's true." Bokuto chuckled, his entire presence gleaming from his most recent orgasm. "But enough about me. What about you?"

Akaashi turned his gaze to the wall and lifted his oversized t-shirt, only to reveal the large bulge in his pajama pants. Bokuto pulled the garment down by its waistband with little hesitation, revealing the stiff, almost dripping member inside.

"I see you quite liked it too?" the ace chimed proudly. Akaashi only nodded, feeling awkward being the only one with an erection, and one that's scrutinized so closely at that.

"Hey, there's one more thing I'd like to try, and this might sound nasty, but hear me out." Bokuto continued, partly flustered himself. "I've only seen it in porn, but it looked pretty hot so…"

He trailed off for a moment, then shook his head and finally pronounced it in one breath: "Could you jerk yourself off and come on my chest?"

Akaashi looked at him in genuine shock. He did not expect that sort of request.

"B-But, you don't have to if you don't want to, we can also just do it normally…" Bokuto was quick to cover up his failed idea, admittedly sheepish now that he heard it out loud.

"No, that's… that's okay, I can do it." The setter had never as much as thought of it, but if he would end up releasing the tension built up in his body and Bokuto would be happy then he saw little reason to hold back (apart from the obvious embarrassment).

"Really?" the ace looked at him with sparkling eyes and joy in his voice. "You really are the best."

"Yeah…" Akaashi only nodded, still focusing his gaze away from his friend, and pressed his open palm to the ace's chest. "Now lay down."

Bokuto silently complied, resting his back on the mattress once more, watching him with a smile. The setter soon mounted his hips, kneeling on the bed, hovering over his friend's stained navel. Feeling Bokuto's hungering eyes on him, he removed his shirt, exposing his lean chest, which received a coo of approval. Akaashi hoped his cheeks weren't as visibly hot as they felt. He finally reached to his own cock, hoping that he had given it enough time to cool off, only to find that it was still perfectly stiff. Not only that, it was sensitive to touch after being ignored for so long, and the setter had to use all of his strength not to immediately open his mouth in a helpless moan.

He preferred to take it slow, not wanting to appear too needy or too 'weak' in front of Bokuto, before realizing that it was exactly his sexual desperation that his friend wanted to see. Ending quickly wasn't a sign of 'weakness', merely one of extreme arousal and there was nothing inherently wrong with it. Bokuto knew better than to shame him for it. Not to mention that for as long as he waited already, drawing it out now would feel like torture, rather than the pleasure that it was meant to be. He decisively grasped himself tighter and took little time in quickening his pumps, swaying his hips to meet the strokes of his hand, feeling his gaze go dark and forgetting that the heightened breaths and the occasional spilling voice belonged to him. His hand was beginning to hurt with the strain he exerted on it to rub himself all the rougher, all the faster, but before he could really care about the pain, he was already coming, gasping, spilling himself right where Bokuto wanted him.

Akaashi breathed heavily, feeling all energy leave him as he fell onto his hands spread between Bokuto's sides, holding himself above the mess they both made. Once he opened his eyes, he only saw his friend's lustful grin, and sensually half-lidded eyes, watching him almost with gratitude. He couldn't help glancing at the ace's crotch. Thankfully for him, he wasn't hard. He sighed with relief, recognizing that he was too tired to perform a single sexual favor in the next hour at least. His orgasm was a swift, but draining one and he found himself wishing he could experience such quick gratifying pleasure more often.

Finally, Akaashi looked to Bokuto's chest, stomach, abdomen, his full front from the waist up excluding his arms. He really looked like someone straight out of a pornographic fantasy. The setter was glad his face remained clean because he would certainly be lost for words if that were the case.

"Was that… alright?" Akaashi still found it difficult to say anything fitting the situation.

"That was really hot." Bokuto chuckled with a small blush. "Really messy, but really hot."

The setter leaned in and left a kiss on his friend's lips with a soft smile. "It was indeed. But let's take a shower and wash it off now, shall we?"

Bokuto only smirked and agreed to his friend's suggestion. He looked all too lewd and Akaashi could swear he would not be able to handle another erection so soon. He would certainly record the scene in his mind, however, and use it when he was alone and aroused sometime in the following days. He would keep that to himself, too.

* * *

 

After the shower, the two hadn't performed any more of the more intimate _bonding_ for the rest of the afternoon. They changed the sheets, laughing about everything that took place on them and hoping Akaashi's parents wouldn't ask questions. Soon, they sat down at the low coffee table with the intention of finishing their all but neglected school work, which the setter remembered in a sudden flash of consciousness (much to the displeasure of his friend). As Akaashi launched a relaxing jazz playlist on his laptop, Bokuto reluctantly placed all of the necessary books on the table, but after a short mutually understood glance they found themselves distracted with exchanging gentle kisses to the soft tune of trumpets and the heart-beat-like plunking of double bass.

They quickly regained control of themselves and turned to their homework, but the situation repeated several times in the following few hours and they kept reminding each other that they should probably prioritize their work, with little belief in what they said. They had finally found someone with whom they could platonically share sensual moments with – it was no wonder that they could hardly focus on math or traditional Japanese.

Unfortunately, they weren't given the chance to continue this on-off work scheme for long, as Akaashi's parents returned before it got dark. As he heard the familiar sound of the engine turning off, the slam of car doors and the pushing of the doorknob on the front door, he pressed the last kiss to Bokuto's lips, informing him of his parents' arrival instantly, as though he were Cinderella and it was a minute till midnight.

"And thank you." He added. "For everything."

"Yeah, thanks." Bokuto agreed with a grin, extending his closed fist in his direction. A fist bump. The sound of his mother's feet on the stairs. The closest Cinderella could come to a kiss when the spell was over. Akaashi pressed his own fist against his, the corners of his lips lifting slightly.

_For the broship._

Bokuto only mouthed the words as though they were the magic spell. The setter nodded. They had only enough time to get a hold of their pens and lean over their books when Akaashi's mother knocked at his door.

"Keiji, can I come in?" Bokuto noticed she was far more respectful of his son's privacy than his own mother.

"Yes, mom." The setter agreed.

The next few minutes his mother spent on asking how he was while they were away and describing their trip. She noticed Bokuto and greeted him with mild surprise in her voice. Akaashi explained he had come over because he wanted some tutoring in English, to which his mom only nodded with a smile and wished them good luck before leaving the room. The ace had to admit he was rather impressed with his friend's explanation of his presence, it certainly sounded far more innocent than the truth, and was true enough to reality, as Bokuto was quite hopeless with English.

Some moments later Akaashi's dad also stopped by their room, saying that they had gone shopping on the way back and the two could have dinner if they wanted. The boys only then realized that they hadn't eaten anything since the late breakfast and their stomachs rumbled quietly in unison, confirming their hunger. Having gone down to the kitchen, they found Akaashi's mother busily unloading the many plastic bags they brought from the store. When her son asked her what they bought, in order to decide a proper meal for them, she only declared that if they were hungry, she would be the one cooking. Akaashi insisted that she must have been tired and deserved to rest, and the two of them could handle making the meal alone, but she would not concede, arguing that she would prefer if they spent the time on school duties. Bokuto only bowed and loudly thanked her for the hard work, saying that he would gladly take her up on her offer. Akaashi's mom only smiled with victory in her eyes and shooed them back into his son's room. The setter felt somewhat guilty for making his mom do all the work, but he felt that perhaps it would be alright to be spoiled by his parents once in a while, especially considering that they were having a guest. Bokuto only sent him an expectant smile, looking forward to a good meal. The setter felt the guilt quickly fade out of his consciousness.

* * *

 

After the fulfilling dinner, the two finished the remaining homework in what felt like minutes. Doing tedious exercises was certainly much easier with a full stomach and a stimulated brain, Akaashi concluded, to which Bokuto nodded profoundly. The setter was, as per usual, the first one to finish, and sat beside his friend to answer any questions he would have. Of course, he was a grade lower and didn't know the entire syllabus, but he could handle languages or literature regardless of his age or material done in class. Once they had finished everything, it was already dark outside and they sat in awkward silence for a moment. They couldn't kiss with Akaashi's parents at home and any non-sexual activity suddenly felt dull and unamusing. Bokuto was the first one to move.

"Well, I guess it's time for me to go home." He reached for his bag. "I should probably get to the station before the last train."

The setter reluctantly agreed, feeling that it would be too stifling to remain in one room without attempting anything more than friendly conversation. They were friends and they enjoyed each other's company but if they couldn't get more than simple _company,_ it was the right time to spend some time alone. "Yes, that's a good idea."

Despite understanding the situation, Akaashi felt that it was a pity to end such a fine day like this, with an awkward silence forcing his friend to leave after all they experienced together. He figured that Bokuto with his tired expression knew exactly what he was feeling. He wondered if there was no better way to express regret of parting and gratitude for his time during the weekend.

Just as these thoughts crossed his mind, Bokuto leaned close to his face and whispered into his ear, as though someone would overhear them otherwise. "Walk me to the door. I'll tell you something outside."

Akaashi only nodded, feeling his heart beat unusually fast for such a simple action. Once Bokuto had gathered all of his things, they went down to the front door and from there quickly to its other side, to the outside dimply lit by street lamps and the lights from the windows of the house. A gust of cold wind caused the setter to hold his arms and press them to his chest, feeling an unpleasant shiver spread through his body. This didn't go unnoticed by Bokuto.

"I'll be quick." He turned to Akaashi with a soft smile, his words spilling clumsily from his mouth. "Thanks for the weekend. I had tons of fun and I hope it was alright for you too. I hope we could do it again sometime. If you'd like, I mean."

"Yeah, if you're free on any evening or a weekend, I would love to do it again." The setter responded simply and Bokuto wasn't sure if it was the flicker of the street lamp or if his friend actually smiled. "I did really enjoy it. I have no doubts we deepened our bonds."

"Of course, we're awesome after all, you and I." Bokuto spoke proudly before winking with a knowing smirk. "I'm happy that we got to do this, Akaashi."

He spoke with a genuine tone now.

"So am I, Bokuto-san." The setter replied with equal honesty and his friend took a step closer to him.

"Can I kiss you goodbye?" Bokuto asked quietly. Akaashi looked around nervously. This part of the house was invisible from inside and it was too dark for any neighbors to notice anything even if they did nothing but watch them with a pair of binoculars.

"Yes." he pronounced breathlessly, before his friend closed the distance between them, connecting their lips in a sweet, chaste kiss. Akaashi felt it warming him up from the inside, so that he no longer cared about the chilling wind. Yes, this was the right finale to the weekend. A shadow of a smile appeared on his lips as they parted from Bokuto's.

"I'll see you tomorrow then." Bokuto grinned with a light blush.

"Yes, see you tomorrow." Akaashi answered with a small wave, watching his friend go out to the street, turning before the corner and waving back.

 _Yes._ Akaashi's chest felt warm as he smiled to himself after watching Bokuto disappear into the night. _This was the best way to see him off._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a softie for cheesy chapter ends, can't help it. :3
> 
> And do you now get what I meant by "it might seem like I forgot about making this more than PWP"? xD But, like I said, no worries, we are just getting into the nice thick juicy emotions. Can't rush into those.
> 
> Oh, and on a practical note: I'm on vacation now, so I won't leave you without a new chapter for months on end like last time. Gimme a few weeks though because I need time to create something I'm happy with. ^^;
> 
> Remember that I will always appreciate your comments with your thoughts so don't be afraid to leave me one or two. :D Thanks for reading and I hope you have a great day. <3


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Would you look at that, it took me less than a month to update! Yes, I'm rather happy with that. :)
> 
> I don't have all that much to say here, other than the good news that Kuroo makes a small come-back this chapter~
> 
> Hope you enjoy, and I thank you for your continued support. <3

It was a little past 11 pm when Bokuto booted his laptop.

His mom had asked him for some last-minute shopping on his way home and Bokuto had quite the complicated relationship with errands; they were never quite as quick as he would have wished. Once home, he received a humble but undeniably tasty meal as a reward for his efforts. The following hour or so, he spent with his mother in front of the TV, watching a game show neither of them had much interest in, and talking about Bokuto's weekend, school and volleyball practice. The ace had to appreciate his mother's care in all aspects of his life, even if at times, she cared just a little _too_ much.

One of those times was his bedtime curfew. 11 pm sharp.

Fortunately, once his mom was asleep she was unable to monitor his nighttime activities. And so, shamelessly as it was, Bokuto pressed the power button on his laptop, seeing the screen light up with his username, the system asking him for his password.

Fast-forward a few seconds and he was on his desktop, double-clicking first his preferred browser, then the Skype icon, conveniently placed beside one another.

A load of the website later, he was on Facebook, scrolling through the chat side-bar, finding his raven-haired partner in crime, checking the green circle beside his name and opening the chat-box.

11:21

KUROO

-

He double-checked that the capslock was on in order to properly represent the urgency of his message.

SKYPE

NOW

11:22

Oh boy

Happy face or sad face?

HAPPY FACE

Face so fucking happy I could cry

11:23

That's basically your normal happy face then lol

Sry

Be right there

-

Two minutes of impatient tapping of fingers on the plastic edge of his laptop later, Bokuto finally saw Kuroo's Skype marker changing from offline to the reassuring green of availability. The ace immediately clicked dial, carefully reducing the volume once the waiting signal echoed through his room. Kuroo picked up only a few seconds later.

"So, my bro, what news do you have for me?" His curious smirk asked the moment he appeared on Bokuto's screen.

"Oh, Kuroo, you wouldn't _believe_ even if I told you." Bokuto was beaming with pride, his voice so excited that he could have won a volleyball championship ten minutes ago, for all Kuroo knew.

"Give it a shot, I just might." The raven-haired chuckled. "So, you jerked off together over webcam, right? Let me guess: it was awesome?"

"Oh yeah, we did do that once." Bokuto looked away from his screen in sudden thought with a light smile growing on his lips. "Though it feels like a while ago now, especially after all we've done now."

"Wait, wait, wait right there, hold your horses, big boy." Kuroo suddenly waved his arms as though to stop him, furrowing his brows in confusion, his smirk temporarily gone. "You mean, you've done _more_ than that? And I know _nothing_ about it?"

"See, that's just why I wanted to talk." Bokuto crossed his arms on his chest and looked at the camera solemnly. "But ya ain't gonna hear anything if you're gonna keep talking."

"Okay, okay go." Kuroo sighed with a slight roll of the eyes. "Or wait. I wanna know how your Skype 'brosturbation' went first. And how we got from there to wherever we are now?"

"It went well, is how it went." He shrugged in response, before allowing a light blush to crawl up his cheeks as he remembered the event. "Like, it was awkward at first but then we got our dicks out and it just… happened. You wouldn't imagine how cute he looks when he comes. Yeah, that was… really nice."

"See? What did Dr. Kuroo tell you, getting off with buddies can only do you good." Now the raven-haired smiled with unhidden confidence in his knowledge of human sexuality, pushing his nonexistent glasses up his nose to make the point.

"Well, you were right about that. Soon after we were done, Akaashi asked me to come over after school on Saturday. For more _bonding_." He winked.

"No way!" Kuroo boomed with wide-open eyes.

"See, I told you, you wouldn't believe me." Bokuto reaffirmed with a victorious smirk.

"Oh forget me, just keep going." The other rushed him on with the wave of a hand.

"But yeah, between classes he confirmed that I was invited and so we went to him after practice, and his parents were away for the weekend-"

"That's just too convenient." Kuroo shook his head. "You lucky bastard."

"Well, his parents were away and we were alone in his room and then we…" Fukurodani's captain trailed off for a moment, remembering everything with a smirk and a light flush on his cheeks. "We humped each other for a bit and then… We took our clothes off and I grabbed his dick and he grabbed mine, and the rest is history?"

"Not half bad, mate." The raven-haired nodded in appreciation.

"Oh wait, there's more, if you _really_ wanna hear the sexy details." Bokuto wiggled his eyebrows invitingly.

"Hit me with it, I want all the gross deets."

"Well then, we rubbed our cocks together and got off on that." Bokuto shrugged as though it was as simple and as obvious as stating what was two plus two.

"You WHAT?" He practically lunged at the screen. "You got to _frotting_ on first contact?"

"Uh, what's that?" The other only tilted his head in confusion.

"What you just said. Rubbing dicks together." Kuroo explained quickly.

"…So? Is that weird?" The other only tilted his head further, his forehead visibly wrinkling.

"Well, no… But frotting during your first contact, that's pretty damn successful." The raven-haired shrugged, a 'not bad' expression spread on his features. "At least as far as my data tells me."

"I'd ask you how much 'data' you have, but I feel like I'd rather not know." Bokuto scoffed.

"Wise choice, my friend." Kuroo's smirk grew on his lips once more.

"But yeah, so we did that… That was also great, you know what coming feels like, I don't need to explain it, do I?"

"Let's see you try." The captain of Nekoma crossed his arms on his chest with a challenging gaze.

"You're the one collecting data on guys jerking off together in his free time, maybe you're more qualified than I am?" the other retorted with a mocking smile.

"Touché, Bokuto. Touché." Kuroo shook his head, admitting defeat with yet another shade of his customary smirk.

"There you go. Although I can say that it was nice to share that with someone else for a change. But that was that, the rest of the evening was pretty peaceful." Bokuto continued his recollection.

"You mean you really did nothing else apart from that?" The raven-haired insisted with unhidden curiosity.

"Well, nothing sexual. I did do 'something' I guess…" Bokuto's voice was quieter now and his all but coy smile now stilled on his lips and he looked down at his keyboard, rather than the image of his friend on the screen. "I still sort of feel bad about that."

"You can tell me, no worries." Kuroo lowered his voice too, his features softening, understanding that what he was about to hear was not something they could freely joke about.

"After we took a shower, I, uh… I… I kissed him. Just like that. I still don't quite know why. It was really scary, you know. I really felt like I ruined it." Bokuto immediately remembered cowering by the door of the bathroom in a futile attempt to hide from his friend, and he couldn't stop his voice from quivering as though he were about to burst into tears.

"Bokuto…" His friend pronounced softly, looking away from the screen, feeling a light pang in his chest as though he were in his place and knew exactly how he felt.

"But it was fine, you know. He told me it was fine." The other chuckled the next instant, wiping his watery eyes with the back of his hand. "He kissed me back. He said it was okay, I mean, if we're getting off together anyway, we can do this much, right? He's really sweet like that."

"You sure chose a good guy. Many wouldn't be that understanding." Kuroo flashed him an indulgent smile. Bokuto was extremely lucky that Akaashi didn't take it the wrong way, didn't lose faith in him, didn't kick him out of the house with a look of utter disgust in his eyes signifying that their bonding was not the only thing that was over and never to be recovered. He had heard of those cases, heard a little too many to not feel bad for his fallen comrades who trusted their friends too much and went a step too far. Fortunately, Bokuto wasn't forced to join their ranks. Akaashi really was a treasure of a friend. Which meant Kuroo was saved from the guilt of playing his friend into this.

"I know, right? Guess I owe you the suggestion." Bokuto grinned, recalling who brought Akaashi up in the first place on that fateful night.

"Oh please, I did nothing here. All your effort." The captain of Nekoma insisted, according to the truth (which would also be far more convenient in the long run).

"Yeah, true." Bokuto admitted with a shameless shrug. "Well, that was that for the night. We only spooned a bit before falling asleep."

"Cuddles, how nice of you." Kuroo cooed sweetly.

"Yeah, I'm not half bad, I agree." Bokuto smiled with unhidden pride. His fellow captain on the other side of the screen only shook his head with a chuckle.

"So, anything interesting happen in the morning?" he continued where his friend's train of thought had paused.

"Oh, yeah, like _everything_ interesting." Bokuto spoke up in that 'you wouldn't imagine' tone of his.

"Well then, get to it, we don't have all night." The raven-haired tapped the nonexistent watch on his wrist.

"O-Okay." Bokuto began getting considerably flustered again, before taking a deeper breath. "Well first of all, we began the day with some nice making out. And when I say nice, I mean _really_ nice. Like, _both of us getting hard_ level of nice."

"Now, you're talking." Kuroo grinned, resting his chin on the palm of his hand.

"Yeah, so then I thought 'oh, we're just gonna jerk off again, great', but the next moment Akaashi stops my hand on his cock and says he'd like to try something else." Bokuto only then realized that he would have to pronounce the words that remained mostly unspoken, despite being skillfully performed only a few hours back. "And then, uh… A few minutes later I'm… fingering him?"

Kuroo would have snickered at the odd, uncertain tone in which his friend had just confessed the events to him, if he weren't busy picking his jaw up from the floor. "Wow." Was the only thing he could reply to that.

"Yeah. 'Wow' covers it." Bokuto nodded, his eyes wide open as though he was unaware of what they were doing and only now awakened to the truth. It occurred to him as quite the surprise after all. "But… there's nothing wrong with that, right?"

"Uh, no, no, of course there isn't." The raven-haired was quick to reassure. "Just. Wow. I wouldn't have imagined Akaashi to… Wow."

"Well, me neither. But there it was." He shrugged, still recalling the timid way in which the setter addressed him about it. He had to admit, Akaashi could be pretty sweet when he was embarrassed.

"And how was it for you?" Kuroo asked a key question.

"Interesting. I was worried it would feel gross, but the way his body would shake or jerk or tense up or how he would _moan._ Yeah, I fucking converted to the path of the prostate and I ain't ashamed. That was just… _so. Hot."_ Bokuto closed his eyes, remembering everything he felt at the moment and couldn't help biting his lip, in unexaggerated excitement.

"Did he come?" The questions continued relentlessly, not allowing him even a moment of pleasant recollection.

"Oh, he came, I came, the neighbor's dog came. Cum everywhere, man." Bokuto allowed himself a hyperbole.

"Come the fuck on, Bokuto." A groan seeped through his chuckle. Kuroo would usually appreciate his friend's jokes, but not when he was compiling his 'bro files'. His patience rarely ran thin, but alas, he couldn't always be the chill dude he appeared to be.

"Roger that." The word 'come' was enough of a trigger to make Bokuto reach to his crotch on camera, his eyes staring into it dead-center.

"Don't you fucking dare." Kuroo hissed through closed teeth, seeing his friend ostensibly stroke down the dick hidden in his pants. " _Bokuto_."

"Alright, alright, just kidding, don't get mad, mate." The latter finally exhaled, lifting his hands above his head to signify his innocence. "I'm just playing with ya."

"I'm not mad." The raven-haired sighed. "But save those things for Akaashi. He'll enjoy it more than I ever could."

"Hm, true." Bokuto hummed in agreement. "Though let me remind you that you could've also enjoyed some Skype sex if you would have agreed that night."

"Yeah, I'm glad I didn't." Kuroo scoffed, his usual wit returning. "So, he came and?"

"And I came and we cuddled. Nothing that interesting." The other shrugged.

"Is that all of the sexiness then?" The captain of Nekoma gazed into the camera with raised brows in an amusingly overdone expression of impatience.

"Oh, no. We still did something after breakfast." Bokuto added as though it was obvious.

"Keep going."

"Well, uh…" Bokuto trailed off, realizing that this would be the hard part. He hoped his rambling would save him from looming embarrassment. "Well you know, I asked him how the thing we did before felt and he said it felt good and so I thought 'well, if he liked it, there must be something to it', I mean, I also have a prostate, all guys do, and so I thought if he was willing to let me do it to him, then that means that there was no reason to not try it, I mean it felt good, right? So I figured that if he felt good then so could I and it wasn't really that scary to ask him to do it after I've done it to him, so yeah, he did it to me too after that."

"Holy shit, Bokuto, you like to complicate things." Kuroo rubbed his temples with a heavy exhale. "Tell me straight up: did he finger you?"

"…Yeah." He looked away from the screen with a bright blush. Kuroo whistled in response, clearly impressed.

"You get bro points just for having the guts to try it out." Kuroo grinned, considerably proud of his friend. For a change, he wanted to reassure him, considering his red cheeks a fair enough indicator that he wasn't fully comfortable with the thought just yet.

"Aren't you gonna go like 'wow' for me too?" Bokuto asked, all but irritated. He considered the reaction more important than the actual words.

"Well, I am kind of surprised, believe me." The raven-haired explained diplomatically. "But I feel I know you well enough to be able to assume that you'd get curious after fingering Akaashi and, well… you're not very subtle about those things."

"Well, you're not wrong." Bokuto had to admit that he had the subtlety comparable to that of a sledgehammer.

"Still, congratulations. It's quite an achievement, sharing your first anal with a bro." Kuroo spoke matter-of-factly, the impressed look never leaving his features. "It _was_ your first, wasn't it?"

"Well, duh, I would have never thought of it if it weren't for Akaashi." Bokuto argued, finding it equally obvious that he wasn't that keen on exploring the inside of his rectum on his own.

"So, tell big brother Kuroo, how did it feel?" The captain of Nekoma insisted sweetly, all with the stupid smile which Bokuto half-resented and half-loved for how it put him in a better mood on all occasions

"Weird." Bokuto began with a chuckle. "But I guess that's normal at first, right? I mean, I'm completely new to it after all. It's odd to think someone has their fingers up your ass, like seriously weird. But then you stop thinking and start feeling and you realize that you wasted like 4 years of your sexually active life without knowing how _good_ something hidden deep in the uncharted lands of your shithole can feel. And to be honest I'm terrified of _how good_ that was."

"I'm surprised how open you are to all of it." Kuroo confessed but he was still smiling which could mean only that he was proud of his friend nonetheless. "You know, most guys aren't into 'butt stuff'."

"Their fucking loss." He laughed dismissively. "I'm not really 'into butt stuff' either, but if it feels nice, what the fuck is wrong with it?"

"Nothing at all, my bro, just too many guys with dumb insecurities." The raven-haired opened his hands and shook his head helplessly. "But, like you said, their loss."

"Now that I think of it, what _is_ the prostate even used for? Pretty sure I've heard of it before but never about what it actually _does._ " Bokuto suddenly voiced his most recent concern because who would know better than Kuroo the Sex Guru?

"Huh, let me Google that." The sex guru only hummed in response, before tapping the letters on his keyboard, the white browser illuminating his face. "I guess it creates part of the fluid that makes up your cum? And apparently it also helps in ejaculation."

"Hm, fair enough." Bokuto hummed, satisfied with the answer.

"Speaking of cum, did you come?" Kuroo's smirk was back and sharp as ever, his squinting eyes only adding to his Cheshire cat appearance.

"In general or from fingering specifically?" Bokuto was looking away from the screen with an awkward half-smile.

"You tell me." The raven-haired only teased, having a feeling that he already knew the answer.

"Yeah, okay, there's no point in hiding it, I came from my ass." Bokuto shrugged away the embarrassment and now smirked with all but pride.

"You know, when I was hooking you up with Akaashi I only thought you would beat your dicks together once or twice and then pretend it never happened, not awaken to an entirely new realm of sexuality and run off exploring kinks into the sunset." Kuroo laughed at his own wit for a brief moment.

"You're just jealous because you're nowhere near our level with Kenma." The other sneered, crossing his arms on his chest defiantly.

"Yeah, a guy who's just messing around with his friend got closer to him than I ever did with a guy I actually like. No wonder I'd be envious. It's pretty sad, really." The raven-haired suddenly sighed and looked to the side, his eyes pensive, no longer smiling.

"Sorry, man, I didn't mean it like that." Bokuto immediately apologized, seeing the change in his friend's reactions.

"I know, it's not your fault." Kuroo only shook his head. "I'll just keep taking things slowly and hope that Kenma will eventually come to understand."

"Hey, don't worry…"

"Whatever." Kuroo quickly cut him off. "Did you do anything else today? Anything interesting? I feel like I wouldn't be surprised if you'd tell me he sucked your dick or something."

"Well," Bokuto chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "He… sort of did?"

"Holy shit, Bokuto."

"Well, he didn't really, he just took into his mouth while he was fingering me." Bokuto was quick to explain, as though that changed anything.

"Holy _shit_ , Bokuto." Kuroo could only repeat, shaking his head in disbelief with a dumb smile spread on his lips. "You guys are like the most confident, most understanding, most _open_ straight guys I've ever known. And trust me, by now I've known _many_."

"Yeah, and?" Bokuto only asked, clearly unfazed and missing his friend's implication.

"I'm happy for you." The raven-haired shrugged with a grin. His fellow captain didn't seem ready for the inevitable thought yet, hence Kuroo would keep it to himself, for the moment, at least.

"Thanks, man." Bokuto flashed a genuine smile, which only assured Kuroo of his assumption.

"Is there anything else you'd like to share?" He asked, feeling like his friend had at least one or two more things which he wanted to talk about.

"Yeah," The other admitted, grinning all the while, "I mean, not the sexy stuff, because fingering is where it ended, but we kissed a lot later on and that just felt so nice. You know, not the arousing 'I'll come if you keep doing this' sort of nice, but just… _nice_. The sort of nice when your heart beats a little faster and your whole chest feels warm and your hands sweat a little but you don't really care because the niceness of it all just makes it irrelevant. The sort of nice when you just want to nuzzle your noses together, and pull them close and just never let go because you feel like at that moment everything is at peace and you're actually happy and you don't want that simple state to end. It's just nice, you know."

Thus Kuroo was rendered dumbfounded. Because if anything actually surprised him that evening, it was this _._

"Say Bokuto, did you ever feel like that before?" He felt he was obliged to confirm his suspicions.

"No, not really." Bokuto shook his head innocently. "But then again, I've never gotten this close with a bro before."

"Bro, you wound me." Kuroo grabbed his chest dramatically.

"It's nothing personal, just the bonding really changes a lot, now that I think of it." Bokuto took his turn to stare into the distance with a thoughtful look on his face. "It's all true what they say about seeing your bro come and having them see you and all. It changes a lot."

"I've heard that a lot." Kuroo admitted, not expanding on the thought on what truly concerned him and how that very change made all the difference.

"See, then you get what I mean. So that's just why it feels so new, why it's all _nice_." He chuckled, finally. "I figured this must be normal after stuff like that. Like you unlock a new level of broship and it's all just _nice_."

"It is." Kuroo could only agree. The answer to his unasked question was all but clear.

"So that's just that. We kissed on his doorstep when I was leaving, you know." Bokuto was smiling that dreamy half-smile of his now. "I can still feel this light tingling feeling on my lips and my heart is still pounding like it did then. And I think I miss him even though it's been just a few hours, but the thought that I'll be able to see him tomorrow is…"

"Nice?" Kuroo finished with a smirk.

"Nice." Bokuto nodded. "Anything to add, doctor?"

"Treat him well. He's a great bro." The raven-haired smiled, his gentle eyes for once making him look as kind as he truly was.

"I will." Bokuto laughed. "I think that's all for now. Mind if we say goodnight now? I should probably sleep."

Kuroo looked to the time display on his screen. It was already past midnight. "You're right. Both of us should sleep."

"Alright then. Thanks for listening to my babbling. I needed to share this with someone, and obviously Akaashi is out of the question." Bokuto sighed, as though in a tired chuckle.

"No problem, I'm always happy to listen. Even the best of bros need best friends, am I right?" Kuroo replied with an honest smile.

"Fuck yeah." Bokuto finally laughed before a yawn split his mouth open. "Goodnight, Kuroo."

"Goodnight, man." The raven-haired pronounced slowly before pressing the red 'hang-up' button. The next instant he slapped his laptop shut and lowered it to the ground before breaking out into a hysterical laugh, pressing his hands to his eyes.

"You're so in love, you idiot." He spoke what he couldn't actually tell Bokuto. "But you're such an oblivious motherfucker that you'd be the last person to notice, but you're head over heels. God, please don't let him fuck this up."

He wouldn't tell him his observations. That could only have the opposite effect. It was one of those things he would have to figure out on his own. That was one question that someone couldn't answer for him. One feeling which went way beyond all that friendship could ever be.

Kuroo wished him the best.

And it would take approximately a week for Bokuto to become aware of what the nice sensation really meant.

* * *

 

On Monday morning Bokuto could hardly focus in class.

The limited amount of sleep he got due to the late-night Skype call with Kuroo was partly to blame. The general gloom surrounding Mondays and the prospect of having to sit through a number of mostly dull lessons was another greatly demotivating factor. However the most apparent cause of his distraction was the dark-haired setter who occupied a fair amount of his thoughts.

Bokuto wondered what Akaashi did after he went home. Did he spend time with his parents? Did he go back to his room and did some extra reading for school? Did he change into his pajamas, telling his parents he was going to sleep and as soon as he was safe, did he jerk off thinking about him and everything they had previously done in his bed? Bokuto liked the latter thought the most; as soon as he had hung up with Kuroo, he himself reached to his groin and found himself perfectly aroused just by the thoughts of Akaashi and their mutual acts. Unfortunately, as he found out in the morning, he fell asleep half-way through it, the exhaustion prevailing even against his typical self-gratification habits. He couldn't help smirking as he remembered waking up with his pants pulled down just low enough to expose his genitals and remind him of what faded from his mind as he fell asleep. He promised himself to finish things properly once he got home that evening.

He also wondered how Akaashi felt about the weekend in general, now that he had spent a night alone, with enough time to think things over without feeling the need to get intimately closer to his teammate. He received no reassuring message that morning and figured that it was either due to Akaashi's belief that one would not be necessary, as everything relevant was said on his porch the night before, or, possibly, because Akaashi didn't want to talk to him. Bokuto wasn't having a very good day so far, but he convinced himself that it was the former, telling himself that he was the moody one, and Akaashi, being the calm, collected and calculated one would at least inform him why he wasn't interested in continuing their newly established relations. Therefore, everything must have been alright.

Thus Bokuto continued his train of thought, wondering if Akaashi was thinking about him as well. They hadn't seen each other in the morning (Bokuto barely made it before the bell once again) and were now forced to wait until lunch. The ace found himself missing his friend more than he expected himself to. Not even 24 hours passed since the last time they've seen one another, he couldn't grasp what made him want to see Akaashi's face so badly. Of course, he believed in the power of _bonding_ wholeheartedly, but he hadn't expected it to affect him this deeply. Imagining his friend's peaceful features, he smiled nonetheless. All of this seemed to turn him into a huge softie but saying that he didn't enjoy this bit of neediness would be a lie.

His teachers, now, they could possibly mind how little attention he paid during class, but the twenty-something other seventeen- and eighteen-year-olds took up their class-time efficiently enough to keep Bokuto unscathed. There really was something special about sitting in the last row, Bokuto had to admit.

Then finally, the chime signifying the lunch break filled the still air in the classroom and Bokuto sighed, stretching his arms above his head. The moment the teacher finished dismissing them Bokuto was up and bolting out of the classroom, taking a turn and heading down the stairs to the 2nd year's corridor. He was standing outside Akaashi's classroom in what he was certain was less than 30 seconds – a new personal best. As luck would have it Akaashi was one of the first to leave the classroom, bento in hand, turning to face the staircase which would bring him to Bokuto's class the quickest, only to find his captain lightly panting right beside the door. He widened his eyes and blinked a few times in surprise. Meanwhile, Bokuto spoke breathily.

"Hey, Akaashi."

"Hello, Bokuto-san." The setter nodded politely, before pointing to the neatly wrapped box in his hand, suggesting their plan of action. "Lunch?"

"What? Oh, yeah." Bokuto couldn't care less about food at the moment and gently pulled Akaashi out of the crowd and to the side, by the wall. "But before that, could we go someplace… private?"

"Oh." Akaashi swallowed harder, realizing what were his friend's most likely intentions. "Yes, we could. Do you have any preferred place?"

"Restroom by home-ec?" Bokuto suggested his prepared answer before Akaashi could properly finish the question. The setter nodded in agreement and the two merged with the crowd of students pouring out of the classes and headed for the designated meet-up spot. The restroom by the home economics class was hidden away behind an odd corner that felt out of place to most students, who would have never thought it would lead to a restroom, of all things. The ones who knew of the place rarely frequented it, having a larger and more convenient restroom just across the hallway. The select few who did use it, stayed away from it after home economics classes, as it somehow always ended up smelling of burned batter and rotten eggs and perpetually lacked paper towels. Some odd rumors of the restroom being somehow haunted had spread around the school, which only helped decrease the number of its users. It was virtually the most secluded place one could hope for in the ever-so crowded Fukurodani Academy. Which also meant it was perfect for their current endeavors.

As the other students headed to the cafeteria, to the classrooms or outside, the two of them slipped into the restroom unnoticed. This was the first time Akaashi was seeing the infamous restroom and he quickly concluded that it looked decidedly not-haunted. The lights were in good condition and the room itself seemed recently cleaned, even if the smell of failed cookies suggested otherwise. But most importantly, it was empty, save for the two of them. Placing his bento box on the side of one of the sinks, he turned to the ace.

"Can I help you with anything, Bokuto-san?" he asked, almost rhetorically, given that Bokuto wouldn't have called him here otherwise.

"Yeah, it's sort of embarrassing, but…" Bokuto turned his head to the wall, scratching the back of his head with unease. "I have a request."

"That request being?" Akaashi only lightly tilted his head, hoping to get an answer before he would have to do too much prodding and miss out on lunch.

"Could we… could you… um…" Bokuto struggled to get the words out and Akaashi only watched him fumble with his hands nervously. "Could you hug me?"

Akaashi blinked, the rest of his body frozen solid in shock. "Of course."

He only managed to lightly open his arms before the blushing mass of muscles that was Bokuto enclosed him in a tight embrace. Akaashi felt his breath being knocked out of his lungs as their chests collided, only after a moment noticing that his friend didn't intend to suffocate him with his affection. Bokuto held him closely, his chin on his shoulder, but he didn't _squeeze_ him so strongly that he felt like his ribs could crack. He pulled him just tightly enough to make the hug pleasant.

Akaashi extended his own hands so that his palms rested on the ace's large back. "Bokuto-san, did something happen?" he asked quietly, feeling as though something had to be wrong for his friend to want this sort of reassurance so badly.

"I missed you." Bokuto explained softly, tightening his hold to emphasize the meaning of his words.

The setter gently stroked down his back. "I'm here now." He couldn't deny that he was surprised at the confession, considering that they had seen each other just the day before, but considering that the embrace wasn't exactly unpleasant, he found it most fitting to comfort his friend.

"I know." Bokuto replied with a grin, slowly letting go of his friend and pulling away enough to see his face. "I'm happy you're here."

"Me too." Akaashi nodded quietly, looking away from the ace's beaming features.

"So, shall we get lunch?" Bokuto offered, stepping away and resting his fists on his own sides confidently.

"So… that's it?" The setter watched him in mild surprise.

"What else are we supposed to do?" Bokuto's brows furrowed as he flashed an uncertain smile, as though he was forgetting something.

"No, nothing. I just…" It was Akaashi's turn to fumble with his hands. "I assumed that in taking me someplace private your intentions would be… less innocent."

"Oh." Bokuto realized what Akaashi thought he wanted to do. "No no, I wouldn't dare to try that at school. Not in broad daylight. I may not be great at learning, but I don't really wanna get expelled either."

"That's reassuring." The setter nodded, suddenly feeling sort of silly for thinking that Bokuto would want to perform any sexual acts on school grounds, as though he weren't patient enough to wait until after they got home, or were otherwise truly alone. He felt his assumption was unfair and almost wanted to apologize when Bokuto spoke again.

"I mean, we could do stuff, I'm sure there's a way to get around the system, but I think both of us would rather eat lunch for now, am I right?" an amiable grin spread on his lips.

"Yes, let's eat while we still can." Akaashi scoffed quietly, picking up his bento, making a mental note that his assumption wasn't exactly inaccurate, it was only that Bokuto made the _conscious_ decision of controlling himself. The setter was most impressed. As much as his friend enjoyed _bonding_ , it seemed that he wasn't that desperate for it at all times. Bokuto was really turning out to be the right 'bro' for the job.

"And Akaashi," Bokuto stopped as they headed for the door. "Thanks."

"You're welcome. But you really don't need to thank me, I enjoy it as much as you do." Akaashi felt like the small things they did, although pleasant, weren't quite thank-worthy. There was no need to go out of their way to express gratitude for the simplest acts, he figured.

"I know." Bokuto shrugged with a bright smile, directed fully at his friend. "But still, thanks."

Just then he realized Bokuto wasn't thanking him for the hug, but rather showing his appreciation for the whole package. He couldn't quite argue with that so he only nodded modestly before they headed to the cafeteria to grab something for Bokuto to snack on before the chime would force them back into their respective classes.

* * *

 

"Good job today, everyone!" Bokuto called to the rest of the team by the end of their afternoon practice, his voice echoing throughout the gym. Grinning, drenched in sweat, hands on his hips, sometimes it wasn't difficult to believe he was the ace and the captain of the powerhouse known as Fukurodani.

"Good job, Bokuto-san." Akaashi replied, once they were off to the side and replenishing their lost fluids through their water bottles.

"You were great too, Akaashi." He patted his friend playfully on the back, but his strike was hard enough to make the setter choke on the water in his mouth. Once he had violently coughed the liquid into the proper track in his throat, he only looked to his friend with a clear scold in his eyes, only to hear a short, laughing "sorry" in response. He sighed, knowing that this much was to be expected of his reckless captain.

The practice, however, was better than most in recent history. Bokuto's hand rarely missed Akaashi's sets and on the occasions that it did, the ace only shook his head with a goofy smile and continued to do his best without sulking – an occurrence so rare that even their teammates felt the positive aura and hardly got irritated by their captain's silly mistakes on the court. Akaashi too felt like he had a better view of the game and got his throws those few precious centimeters closer to his teammates' preferred positions above the net. When their eyes met during practice, both of them nodded, well-aware of the cause of their current successes. Bro power was nothing to be reasoned with.

They now pooled in the changing room, along with their sweaty, exhausted teammates who quickly threw their gym clothes off and rushed under the cool showers as quickly as their tired muscles allowed them to. Akaashi held the ace back for a moment, waiting until they were alone in the changing room, all of their friends gathered in the showers closed off by a door.

"Excuse me for a moment." He told Bokuto as he kneeled beside his legs and rolled up his loose shorts all the way up to his briefs.

"Uhh?" The ace hummed, genuinely confused. He couldn't imagine what the purpose of this act might have been.

"Damage assessment." Akaashi spoke in response, hearing his silent question. His eyes glanced up and down Bokuto's thighs, checking the aftermath of his Sunday biting spree. Their teammates hadn't gotten a glimpse at the marks yet, as Bokuto came in conveniently late when everyone was already warming up on the court.

"You mean, like, hickeys?" Bokuto lowered his voice, making sure.

"Yes, hickeys." The setter whispered back secretively. His friend's thighs were covered in small, asymmetrical, randomly scattered dark red spots, looking far more deliberate than simple bruises. He counted up to nine of them, at which point he stopped trying to remember their amount, feeling like nine was already eight hickeys too much. Counting any further would only make him feel more guilty. "I'm sorry... I must have gotten carried away."

"I'm not mad." Bokuto smiled at him from above.

"But… what if the others notice?" Akaashi voiced his primary concern, something he now figured he should have thought about before leaving the marks. He couldn't believe he could get so utterly _inconsiderate_ when his dick was hard, and apparently told him that was a good idea.

"Then I just have to make sure they don't notice, right?" The ace winked, and Akaashi realized the idea could only go two ways – a spectacular failure or an unexpected success. He silently hoped for the latter.

Bokuto's ingenious plan consisted of his entering the shower room with a towel wrapped around his waist, which he would quickly pass to Akaashi and lather himself up (starting from the thighs, of course) before anyone could give him a solid look. Naturally, nothing could go as smooth as that, and considering that Bokuto's area of expertise was spiking – not throwing – it was no great surprise when his shot went awry, causing Akaashi to slip on the wet floor mid-catch, landing on his elbow with a sharp cry. Their teammates immediately turned their attention to him, asking if he was alright, to which he only groaned in discomfort. This was not, in fact, the original plan, but at least it bought Bokuto the few seconds he needed to hide his bitten thighs in soap. He would have to beg Akaashi for forgiveness and make sure his elbow was okay at least twenty times in the next three hours, but he was happy they had (more or less) succeeded.

After their friends finished washing off their sweat and fatigue, some of them who witnessed what caused Akaashi to slip and fall offering Bokuto a glare or two, the two of them were left alone in the showers.

"Hey, is your elbow okay?" The ace stepped closer to his friend, bending to get a good look at his arm. "Does it hurt?"

"I'm fine, I fell on the towel." Akaashi shook his head, showing Bokuto his slightly reddened elbow. "I just made a show of it to buy you time. There shouldn't even be a bruis-"

But before he could finish, Bokuto tightly wrapped his arms around him and swayed his body back and forth in what Akaashi had to assume was a representation of joy. "Ahhhh, man, you're like the best friend ever. You're a freaking blessing, you know?"

"Bokuto-san," The setter huffed out, petting Bokuto's back in a sign of defeat, feeling as his ribs were squeezed like mere dough in his friend's relentless grip. "Can't. Breathe."

"Oh, sorry." Bokuto laughed nervously as he finally let him go. "But yes, thanks for taking one for the team."

Akaashi only shook his head modestly in response, thinking it wasn't all that much _for the team_ , as it was for the benefit of the both of them, and for Bokuto's benefit most of all. He didn't do anything that heroic in any case and now felt all but awkward, receiving so much gratitude for something so small, something which wasn't even selfless by a long shot.

"And big thanks to Elbow-kun." Bokuto declared with a smile, reaching for Akaashi's arm and kissing the ever so slightly injured skin at the bend. The act was beyond unnecessary and the honorific on the setter's body part more silly than not (especially considering how he never used any honorifics when calling Akaashi), but he found the corners of his lips involuntarily rising a small bit. He concluded that his friend was an even larger dork upon closer inspection than he initially estimated, but that he didn't entirely hate that about him. He figured it would even be alright to show his open non-hatred for his friend.

Slowly taking Bokuto by the hand, letting one of the showers run, he brought him by the closed door. Their teammates were all gone now, either drying up in the changing room or all dressed up and heading home. They had no business bothering them in the showers anymore, nor would their time alone come off as suspicious. Being a pair of captain and vice-captain certainly came with its perks. They could proceed uninterrupted.

Akaashi slowly, but resolutely pressed his palm into Bokuto's chest, causing him to step back, only to quickly find himself with his back pressed against the door, Akaashi's hands reaching to his shoulders and the nape of his neck before he felt his warm lips on his own and calmly closed his eyes, following Akaashi's rhythm. It was sweet, the kiss, softly engaging him, teasing his lip, allowing their mouths to meld together in generous affection, as Bokuto's hands lowered to rest on his friend's hips. Just then did he remember that they were naked and slowly stroked around Akaashi's waist, his fingertips sliding over the droplets of water on the wet skin. He felt like at any other point in time and space this would be a very arousing setting. At the moment however, not a single sexual thought even attempted to cross his mind, as he was kissed and kissed his friend back, as his palms caressed his back, as he lost himself in the pure _joy_ of the moment. He wouldn't know how to otherwise describe his feelings. Everything was _nice_ again. He was happy to have such a beautiful, smart, understanding friend, such a _good kisser_ as a bro. That was all he could discern from the Shower Make-out. He was certain that was all he needed to know.

"Bokuto-san," Akaashi breathed when they finally let one another go. "We can't today, I have to run an errand for my parents and prepare for tomorrow's Physics test."

Bokuto chuckled at his friend's instinct to warn him beforehand. "That's alright. Tomorrow?"

"I could make tomorrow work, yes." Akaashi nodded, briefly going over his schedule in his head.

"My place? Parents don't come home until late." The ace suggested with a coy grin.

"Mind reminding me where you live?" Akaashi couldn't help wondering about the average time it would take to commute to his house and back.

"Two stops north of school, close to the station." Bokuto shrugged, wondering how much of a difference it would make. Akaashi lived five stops south of the station nearest to Fukurodani Academy.

"Then I'll gladly join you." The setter agreed with a habitual bow of the head.

"Can't wait." Bokuto smiled with unhidden satisfaction.

A moment later, Akaashi was looking out the door to the showers to check for any potential leftover witnesses. When he was certain that all of their teammates had already left he opened the door wider, allowing Bokuto to enter the changing room. They spent the few minutes it took them to dry their bodies and dress in their uniforms discussing which of their teammates would have to work more on which parts of play and how to fix certain weaknesses in their formation. Once they were once more dressed and ready to head home, Bokuto hovered closer to Akaashi.

"Tomorrow?" He leaned the slightest bit closer with a smile.

"Tomorrow." Akaashi nodded, rising to his toes, slowly closing the distance. Bokuto carefully reached to his friend's cheek, ready to let their lips meet once more-

Suddenly the door to the changing room was thrown open, and _thank God_ a partitioning wall separated the room from the direct entrance because Bokuto and Akaashi were far too close to play it off as anything else than kissing. In the short second when the person who tore down the door entered the proper area of the changing room, Akaashi slammed his back into the lockers behind him on impulse, and Bokuto, considerably panicked, jumped to sit on the bench and pretend to look for something in his bag.

They soon discovered that the intruder was in fact Komi who forgot his phone in his locker. "You guys are still here?" he asked, half curious, half feeling the need to break the awkward silence.

"Yeah, we're discussing… captain stuff. It's important for the team strategy in the near future, you know." Bokuto spat out the first words that came to his mind, hoping to _somehow_ cover up the terror that overtook his body to the point of making his hands tremble.

"Yeah, I'd imagine." Komi wasn't really listening anymore, preferring to browse one of his many social media accounts as soon as he got his hands on his phone. "Well, I'll be going now. Good work today, captains, see you tomorrow."

"Bye bye." Bokuto waved weakly as the other left the room as quickly and as loudly as he had entered. Only then did Akaashi release the breath he held that entire time. He inhaled deeply, then slouched onto the opposite bench, next to Bokuto.

"That was close." The ace spoke, placing his palm on his chest. "I almost got a heart attack there."

" _Too_ close." Akaashi shook his head, ignoring his friend's hyperbole.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-" Bokuto began apologizing before the setter's calm voice interrupted him.

"No, both of us got carried away." Akaashi exhaled slowly. "We let our guard down."

"Should we not…? At school, at least?" Bokuto asked, audibly dejected by the thought.

"We just have to be more careful." Akaashi reassured, also feeling that it would be a pity if they had to stop any and all physical contact at school. He enjoyed it more than he was willing to admit.

Swiftly cupping Bokuto's cheek and turning his head, Akaashi pressed a quick kiss to his lips.

Bokuto smiled. "You consider that 'careful'?" he asked, his brows raised in all but mocking.

"I never said I was very good at being careful." The setter shrugged, and Bokuto wished he would at least smirk while making the remark. "But we're alone anyway so… _just this once._ "

"Fair enough." The ace stood up with a chuckle, patting down his jacket. "As for the rest… tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow." Akaashi nodded, confirming their plans.

Bokuto extended his fist with a grin in response. "For the broship?"

"For the broship." Akaashi pronounced softly, finding the words rather silly, and far too embarrassing to be actually spoken aloud. But so long as they made Bokuto happy, he wouldn't mind using them all that much.

Tomorrow was so soon after all. Just around 24 hours stood between them and the next session of _bonding._ They were looking forward to it more than it would be appropriate to reveal to the other, so they quietly parted from in front of the school, going their separate ways, silently thinking about how they could please their friend most, and what sort of technique to experiment with first.

That Tuesday would prove to be a far more exciting day than any past Tuesday in Bokuto's recent memory.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, looks like there's finally more Plot in the game. :D
> 
> Don't worry, there will be smexiness too, hopefully both Porn AND Plot needs will be satisfied. xD
> 
> As always, thank you very much for reading and any kudos and comments make me really happy, in case you did enjoy my story here. ^^


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Small note: I am uploading this at 4 am, and if anything seems off, that's probably because I'm posting this chapter while half-unconscious.
> 
> Bigger note: While writing this chapter, I realized that this is the longest fic I've ever written. The document in which I am writing this story has over a 100 A4-sized pages already (and is growing). I find it funny how once upon a time I meant for this fic to be a PWP one-shot. xD I mean, there's still plenty porn inside it, it just got quite a bit longer than I initially expected. As my friend said, I'm even getting creative with the smut haha. But what I'm trying to say is that I really don't think I would have kept this up if it weren't for your guys' support. Seeing that someone liked my silly writing made me happier than anything and motivated me to make a proper story (WITH a plot) following Bokuto and Akaashi's sexual self-discovery. Thank you for reading, for bookmarking, for coming back to this story and reading the updates. Really. I mean it. It makes it all worth staying up to 4 am and writing.
> 
> I know that sounded very serious, but don't worry, the story isn't ending yet, I just wanted to share some of my feelings/observations. xD
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter. ^^

For the most part, it was a slow Tuesday.

A Tuesday full of impatient waiting, of watching the hands of the clock moving deliberately slower than they should. A Tuesday of affirmations and nods and countless _I can't wait_ s. A Tuesday of knowing smiles.

It only sped up during practice when everything seemed to move quicker than usual, the tosses, the spikes, the blocks. It ended before it could properly begin. Regardless, the practice was above average.

No longer stalling for time in the changing room, Bokuto and Akaashi quickly washed and dressed themselves and were running down the school's main steps before anyone could notice anything unusual about their behavior.

After the short train-ride and an equally brief walk, the two arrived in front of Bokuto's house. Or rather, it was more of an apartment complex than a _house,_ if Akaashi were to be precise. He found himself baffled at how after two years of knowing one another and spending a surprising amount of their free time practicing and playing volleyball they had never visited each other's homes. Not until recently, at least. Akaashi never expected _bonding_ to have this much of _actual_ bonding potential. He was quite happy with the fact, though. He could call Bokuto his friend without feeling like the term was a stretch for their casual relations. The thought was an unusually pleasant one.

Bokuto lived on the third floor of one of the buildings. Turning his key in the lock, and pulling the door open invitingly, he revealed the inside to the setter. It wasn't a small apartment by any means, but it wasn't a penthouse either. To Akaashi, it seemed to be just the right size – large enough to fit all the rooms and all its inhabitants comfortably, while still small enough to feel cozy and homey. He felt that it was almost uncanny how lived-in the apartment felt despite it being supposedly empty, save for the two of them, and found it necessary to glance into each room (after, of course, removing his shoes) to be absolutely certain that no one would hear, or worse, interrupt them.

"Don't worry, we're alone." Bokuto reassured, bringing an arm around his back and slowly leading him to his room. "We have _at least_ three hours until mom comes home."

"Then yes, I think we will be okay." Akaashi agreed, following the ace's motion to his room.

And Bokuto's room was… very fitting to its owner. The bed was made in a rush and in one corner of the room, there was a messy pile of what Akaashi could only expect to be dirty clothes. His desk was cluttered up with papers, notebooks, textbooks and random stationary, his shelves were home to more trinkets than books, and a mass of slightly skewed, ever so gently crumpled posters were plastered to his walls with clear tape. Even so, he wasn't repulsed by the view. It was Bokuto after all, and he expected even worse from him. This was almost a pleasant surprise – the room even seemed recently cleaned. It had Bokuto's individuality all over it, and Akaashi silently found himself appreciating it.

"Sorry, it's not as nice as yours." Bokuto was self-conscious about the state of his room; it really didn't compare to Akaashi's.

"No, it's great." Akaashi denied promptly. "I like it the way it is."

"Really?" The ace raised his voice in excitement.

"Yeah. It's perfectly fine." Akaashi affirmed, genuinely thinking that it was.

"Then I'm happy." Bokuto beamed at his friend with his overjoyed grin, undeserved (in Akaashi's opinion) for the compliment he gave, but one which made the corners of his lips rise slightly nonetheless.

"That's good then." The setter nodded after a moment, lowering his bag to the ground and placing the jacket of his uniform over it, leaving him in the white shirt and his slacks. He slowly sat at the edge of the bed, glancing to Bokuto expectantly, with a small dose of awkwardness. "Shall we…?"

"Oh, yeah." The ace quickly joined him on the bed, his jacket off since the moment they left their shoes by the front door.

Akaashi's hand reached to cup Bokuto's cheek, to which he turned with a smile. He slowly shut his eyes and leaned closer, until the setter pressed their lips together for good. They remained still for a moment, Akaashi shifting his palm to rest lightly on Bokuto's neck. The ace's heart was already beating faster; having their lips connected was enough to feel _nice._ He smiled into the kiss. Placing his hand on the back of Akaashi's head, he slowly shifted his weight, lightly pressing down on his friend until they were lying on the bed. The setter released a quiet moan of surprise into the kiss as he found himself pushed down onto the mattress. Bokuto gently brushed a finger down his cheek as his lips began moving, slow and steady, coaxing his friend into reciprocating the act. Akaashi returned the movement, lazily at first, then gently running his tongue over Bokuto's lips as they increased the pace and captured and released one another in growing arousal.

Their lips were chapped by now from the sheer amount of intense kisses they had shared for the past two days and the cool wind that grew stronger and more common this season. But they could hardly think of the gentle stinging of the tender skin on their lips, and rather considered the light pain a sweet spice to their newly established kissing routine.

Bokuto now threaded his fingers through Akaashi's hair while the setter pulled him closer, his hands wrapped around Bokuto's neck and back, Bokuto claiming his lips greedily, feeling their tongues meet somewhere inside his mouth, his breath already heavy. Bokuto somehow always turned him into a wanting mess without much effort. He would most likely be amused to learn that the ace felt the same way about him.

Before long, they began calming, their panting growing too strong to continue at the same pace. Once more, their lips moved lethargically, as Bokuto absentmindedly ran his hand down Akaashi's chest. It was nice and even and fairly muscular. And absolutely flat, as expected of a guy, which the ace accepted with surprising ease. He had always liked big boobs (as expected of a guy) but Akaashi's breast was small and nothing like the girls' he always saw in adult videos or his imagination. He found himself oddly drawn to it regardless.

When they finally separated from the kiss, Bokuto broke the silence first with a curious question.

"Do you think a guy's nipples are as sensitive as a girl's?" he asked Akaashi almost conversationally, with unhidden interest in his voice.

Akaashi almost scoffed, his exhales still heavy, adding an almost sultry tone to his voice. "Why don't we find out for ourselves?" he all but smirked, placing his hands on the first button of his white shirt and undoing it in a hurry.

Bokuto's lips were split by a sudden grin. "I'll take you up on that." He chuckled briefly before reaching to the bottom of Akaashi's button-down and unfastening the buttons one by one. His hands were shaking with anticipation and so the act took longer than it would usually have and he began getting impatient when he reached the last button.

He inhaled deeper, cooling his temper.

Once it was finally undone, he opened the shirt and spread it to Akaashi's sides, watching his chest rise and fall in the rhythm of his breaths.

"Can I?" Bokuto asked cautiously, his hand already hovering over one of the setter's nipples.

"Yeah." Akaashi breathed, the anticipation strong enough to cause a small blush to rise to his cheeks.

"Tell me how it feels." The ace whispered, lowering his thumb to the small brown bud and stroking down it gingerly. It wasn't quite enough to feel like anything yet, but Akaashi's body quivered involuntarily at the touch. The next instant, Bokuto rubbed harder, rolling his thumb over the hardening nipple in circular motions, causing a sharp gasp to spill from the setter's mouth, followed by multiple quickened breaths. Bokuto continued the practice, changing the angle slightly to improve the friction between the flesh, to which Akaashi only responded with quick, but quiet whines separated by the pleasantly familiar panting.

"So?" The ace cooed with a smile, pausing the stimulation for a brief moment.

"Yeah, that's… nice. Unexpectedly nice." Akaashi answered breathily, his eyes traveling to the wall, finding himself surprised at his own reactions. This felt better than he had assumed it would. Bokuto smiled in satisfaction.

Without a warning, the ace leaned in, placing his lips on the other bud and pulling it into his mouth. Akaashi was breathing hard again, feeling his friend's wet tongue flicking his nipple, sucking on it with a lewd sound which made him wince and succumb to the feeling all at once. A mere moment later, Bokuto held the other nipple between his thumb and index finger, stroking it just hard enough to make his friend's chest rise from the bed and into his touch with a prolonged moan. Having never really attempted to play with his nipples, Akaashi was now overwhelmed by the amount of stimuli he was receiving. His voice echoed through the room with desperate little sounds, prompting Bokuto to only increase the force and the speed of his movements.

Akaashi whimpered, the fervent touch traveling directly to his groin, raising the heat in his chest and far below in his abdomen. He couldn't come from this alone, but he was absolutely certain that he had never been more aroused in his life. Not even at the time when he had first discovered pornography online and watched it until he got so hard that less than ten strokes brought him to climax. He could swear that not even then he was as turned on as he was now. He concluded that nipples, even if male, were not a power to be reasoned with.

"Bokuto-san," He finally pronounced, after miraculously catching his breath. "Enough…"

Bokuto quickly stopped his movements and sat back up, a concerned look on his face. "Did it hurt? Did I do it badly?"

"No, no, that's not it." Akaashi was quick to reassure, his breath still unsteady. "It felt good. Just… too much. You know?"

"Too good?" Bokuto raised an eyebrow, a hesitant smile growing on his lips.

"Yes, that's… basically what I meant." Akaashi nodded, realizing how hot his cheeks felt for all the obvious reasons. "And, um…"

He hesitated for a moment, glancing down to his crotch. His pants were getting uncomfortably tight. He ran his hand down the unmistakable bulge, on the off-chance that Bokuto's usual denseness got the better of him and he didn't understand his allusion.

"Do you want me to take care of it?" the ace asked carefully and Akaashi couldn't help wondering if he was teasing him.

"Yes, if you would be so kind." He huffed in response, half-joking, half-desperate to have him tend to his need.

Bokuto moved over to the area of the bed where he could comfortably access his friend, quickly proceeding to pull his slacks and briefs off. As he freed his swollen member, all flushed and wanting, an idea suddenly dawned in his mind. His hands stopped, leaving the clothes just above Akaashi's knees.

"Akaashi," he licked his lips in excitement. "Could I suck your dick?"

"Huh?" The setter immediately sat up, looking at his friend in disbelief, eyes wide and his brows furrowed. "You mean… you want to?"

"Yeah, I think it could be interesting." Bokuto shrugged with a light smile. "And you'll probably feel nice too."

"Well, yes, of course." Akaashi nodded, slowly lowering himself back to the mattress. "But you don't need to force yourself. I'm good with anything, really."

"Then I _can_ suck your dick?" He beamed with a thrilled grin, waiting for the proper reply.

"Y-Yes." Akaashi stuttered uncharacteristically, becoming aware of what was about to happen and how mentally unprepared he was. He had always wanted to see how it feels, but actually having the chance sitting right beside him was as daunting as it was exhilarating.

"You think you could sit on the edge of the bed?" Bokuto asked, lowering himself to kneel on the floor. Akaashi glanced to him with a nod, feeling that it would a comfortable position for both of them.

Once Bokuto had the setter where he wanted him, he pulled his trousers (along with his briefs) down to his ankles and stared down the erection, considering the best method of approaching it. Finally, he spread his legs to the sides, scooted closer, and gently grabbed the flesh at the base. He looked up at Akaashi who watched him, a large blush on his face and his lips closed tightly, forming a thin line, almost trembling in anticipation. Making proper eye-contact, Bokuto leaned closer to the member and slowly ran his tongue up the slit. Akaashi only released a shaky breath, closing his eyes. He decided that the sight was too much for his heart after all.

Bokuto smirked to himself before moving closer to lick down other surfaces of Akaashi's dick, first the head at different angles, then the sides of his shaft. It provided more teasing than proper stimulation, but the setter forced himself to be patient, wanting to give his friend all the time he needed to get comfortable. Then, all of a sudden, he felt Bokuto take him into his mouth and he couldn't repress the moan pressing at his lips. The ace stopped at the head for the moment, rubbing his tongue on its underside, giving a few test sucks resulting in a pleased noise from Akaashi above him.

Before long, he took him deeper into his mouth, inching closer to his navel with every second, until he felt him enter his throat and could go no further – not quite because of his nonexistent gag reflex, but because there was no more length to swallow. Akaashi breathed hard at the warm tightness wrapped around him and told himself that Bokuto simply wouldn't have taken him in so far. He forced his eyes to open into small slits, only to be certain that he wasn't experiencing what his body told him that he felt. To his greatest surprise, Bokuto had indeed fit the entirety of his member into his mouth and, what certainly felt like, beyond. The sight was enough to make him gasp and tightly shut his eyes again. It was all too arousing.

After a moment, Bokuto pulled back, only to suck him right in a second later. He was slowly getting the hang of the practice, feeling he understood what was expected of him, and now following what he had seen so many times in slightly mosaicked porn he so often watched, as well as paying close attention to Akaashi's reactions. He backed away, Akaashi exhaled. He took him in deeper, Akaashi released short guttural sounds. He quickened his pace and the setter was panting in no time, he sucked harder and his friend was whimpering within seconds. And _God_ , all the _sounds_ he made. Bokuto resisted the urge to retrieve his own dick from his pants and jack off on the side.

It only took a little while until the warmth and the wetness and all the pleasure that was brought by the slick friction brought Akaashi dangerously close. His eyes still closed, he palmed for Bokuto in front of him, laying his hands on his temples. He released a long whine, lightly pushing on the ace's head to signal him to let go, but the latter either didn't understand the message or was particularly intent on making him come in that manner, that he only hastened his bobbing, working even against the force of Akaashi's shivering hands.

The setter attempted to take deep breaths to somehow calm himself in order to tell Bokuto that _God, you can let go already_ , but his breaths only quickly heightened to whimpers, and before he could stop himself, he was holding his breath until his climax hit him with all its destructive force. And for a moment, he was lost in the bliss, forgetting the world around him, gasping as the pleasure resonated within him.

Once he was back in the reality surrounding him, his breath was still unsteady and he wouldn't dare move from the fear of either collapsing or ruining the utter calm in which he found himself. Then he felt that Bokuto no longer held him in his mouth. He opened his eyes slowly to find his friend holding his palm over his mouth, his eyes both apologetic and begging for help. Akaashi wasted no time reaching to the nightstand which hosted a box of tissues, pulled one out and pressed it over the hand with which Bokuto covered his lips.

"Spit." The setter ordered calm and focused, his eyes stern. "Bokuto-san, spit it out, please."

After a moment's hesitation, Bokuto finally nodded and snatched the tissue, turning sideways and spitting out everything he had held inside until then. Once his mouth was empty and the flimsy piece of paper crumpled and wet with bodily fluids, he threw it into the bin by his desk.

"I'm so sorry." He immediately turned to Akaashi, kneeling in front of him again. "I know it's rude not to swallow, but I just didn't expect it to taste so…"

"No, _I'm_ sorry." Akaashi shook his head with a sigh, cutting him off before he could get into the details. "I should have told you before. I never meant for you to… end up like that."

"But you told me." Bokuto insisted, having understood his previous signals. "I just wanted to make you feel good, I thought I would be fine."

"Well, I'm sorry nonetheless." The setter concluded, bringing his arms around Bokuto's shoulders and pressing the sides of their heads together, so that his mouth was just beside his friend's ear. "It _did_ feel good. Well, more than just that. I don't exactly know how to describe it. Unspeakably good?"

"Really?" Bokuto asked, his voice excited, and his eyes most likely sparkling the way they usually did when he received unexpected praise.

"Yes. As always, good work." Akaashi pronounced firmly, not unlike the way he complimented his friend after their everyday practice. The ace chuckled at his unfittingly serious tone.

"Thanks." He could hear Bokuto's grin in his reply.

"And it's perfectly fine not to…" the setter found himself swallowing before he could say the sexually-charged phrase. "Not to swallow. I'm not upset. In fact, I would feel bad if you swallowed it. This was a fair compromise."

"Alright. Then I'm glad." Bokuto agreed, moving his head so that their cheeks rested against one another. "Can I kiss you?"

Akaashi's body stiffened up in a sudden realization. "Usually, I would have nothing against it, but considering the circumstances…" he trailed off, giving Bokuto a moment to figure out what he meant.

After a few seconds the ace pulled away, covered his mouth with his hand and breathed into it. "Oh, right, penis breath." He snickered a moment later. Akaashi sighed with relief, glad that he wouldn't have to spell it out for him.

Bokuto soon stood up and grabbed the bottle of green tea which sat atop his desk. Only then did the setter notice the arousal visibly filling his slacks. He almost forgot about his friend for the sake of his own pleasure. He resolved to quickly change this unfair state of matters. The first step was pulling up his own pants. The second was… well.

However, once Bokuto had washed his mouth and gotten a drink all at once, he returned to sitting in front of Akaashi. He smiled at him expectantly. The setter shook his head a little before leaning in and sharing the ever so slightly green-tea-flavored affectionate kiss. Once they parted again, Bokuto grinned without a word and wrapped his arms around Akaashi's waist, holding his cheek against the soft area off to the side of his belly button.

"I like it when we're alone like this." The ace spoke softly, nuzzling his face into his friend's smooth skin.

Akaashi felt the corners of his lips rise. "Me too." He placed his palms on the nape of Bokuto's neck and his back. Both of them genuinely enjoyed the silence and the reassuring warmth in each other's hands. As much as Bokuto always actively attempted to make conversation and keep an interesting exchange of words with all the people he got to talk with, he sometimes needed a cooldown, and a calm, natural silence like this one was virtually blissful. Akaashi, who on the other hand never kept close relations with anyone and usually preferred not to speak much more than was necessary, reveled in the feeling of holding someone so close, of sharing their warmth. Bokuto had always loved hugs and Akaashi enjoyed the relaxing embrace of silence. They complemented each other exceptionally.

For a change, Akaashi was the first one to speak up. "Don't you want to… you know." He already felt awkward for ruining the peace of the moment, not to mention that the change of subject wasn't the most graceful one either.

Bokuto only chuckled. "We can _you know_ in a moment. I'm good like this for now."

"Alright." Akaashi nodded, placing his hand on his friend's gel-covered hair. "Tell me whenever you're ready then."

He gently stroked down one of the less spiky areas of Bokuto's head and the latter all but purred under his touch. It was a surprisingly calming act, for the both of them. They could get used to this; not just the sexy parts but _this_. The less exhilarating but perhaps equally enjoyable quiet moments. For lack of a better word Akaashi would describe it as nothing other than _nice._

All of a sudden, the ringing of a cell phone broke the silence. Bokuto looked up at his friend. It wasn't his own ringtone. Akaashi sighed, then with a frown reached for the phone in his bag which sat by the bed. Whoever was calling him had terrible timing.

He glanced at the name and brought the phone to his ear. "Yes, mom?"

Not releasing the embrace in which he held Akaashi's waist, Bokuto only heard part of the conversation.

"At Bokuto's home." Akaashi replied to the undistinguishable voice coming from the small speaker in his phone. The ace listened to his friend's slightly irritated, but nonetheless soothing voice.

"Yes, I told you I'll be visiting him tonight."

"Yes, I did. And I finished most of my work ahead of time."

"But why? It's still long until curfew."

"At least thirty more minutes? Please?"

"Around an hour, I guess."

"I will manage, mom, have some faith."

"Yes, I understand but- Just today? I would really appreciate it."

"I know, but-"

"Yes, but still-"

Akaashi sighed.

"Okay, mom."

"Okay."

"You promise?"

"Alright."

"Yes."

"See you."

Akaashi ended the call and placed the phone on the bed with a heavy exhale.

"Bokuto-san, I'm so sorry, I have to go home now." The setter bowed his head, closing his eyes, feeling ashamed for having to end their meeting so suddenly and so soon. "My mom just called me and said that since my grade in history had dropped recently, I have to study more for the test we have after tomorrow. I arranged today knowing that I would still manage studying even after coming home later than usual, but she insists that I come early and revise some more. Not to mention that now she's telling me that they're hosting a bake sale in a nearby school and a friend asked her to prepare some cookies and she wants my help with that as well. I'm sorry. I even told her yesterday and she agreed, I really don't understand why she had to call now."

Bokuto finally let go of his waist and simply sat on the floor in front of him, looking up at his pained expression. His friend looked genuinely dejected by the news.

"It's okay." Bokuto smiled at him, patting his thigh encouragingly. "I'm sorry about the history. We can meet after you ace that test."

Akaashi finally opened his eyes, a little too wide, having expected a much more emotional, Bokuto-like reaction. "It's just this topic. I get confused by the details we must know from that time period."

"That's alright, I get that feeling a lot." Bokuto chuckled. "So go home, study a bit more, bake those cookies, and we'll _bond_ again once that test _becomes_ history."

Akaashi chocked back a laugh. That silly pun cheered him up. "Are you really okay with it? I end up being the only one who got to enjoy tonight in that way."

"Yeah, it's okay." The ace nodded firmly. "Maybe I didn't come, but I had fun in other ways, so I'm good." A sudden smirk grew on his face. "Not to mention that _I can still_ enjoy tonight a bit later."

Akaashi understood the implication. "Will you think of me when you do it?" he asked bluntly, deadpan, as per tradition.

"Yeah, and I'll imagine you with a really sexy expression and moaning so loud that probably the neighbors would hear you." Bokuto added with a wink.

"I suppose that bright imagination comes in handy." The setter shook his head with feigned distaste, before adding. "But if that's good enough for you then at least I won't feel guilty for having to leave so suddenly."

"Yeah, I'm good." Bokuto grinned. " _Bonding_ may be important but school is a priority. And cookies, of course. Cookies are what we humans call 'the greater good'. How could I stop you in the face of cookies, of all things?"

Akaashi was happy to know that Bokuto could joke about being left to himself before both of them had their share of pleasure. The next instant, he cupped the ace's cheeks and rested his forehead on his.

"I know I'm not really one to admit those things, but I think you're a great friend, Bokuto-san." Akaashi spoke softly. "You deserve to hear that a lot."

The next sound he heard from Bokuto was a sob. Quickly pulling away, he noticed that his friend had tears in his eyes. "What's wrong?" Akaashi asked, considerably worried.

"You said I'm a good friend." The ace choked out with a smile. "Nobody ever tells me that."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know it would make you cry." Akaashi pulled him into his embrace.

"No, I'm just happy." Bokuto chuckled, his voice still wet with tears.

"Alright." Akaashi sighed with relief, gently stroking down his friend's back. "No crying then."

The ace pulled away the next instant and wiped his slightly swollen eyes with the back of his hand with an apologetic smile. Akaashi cupped his cheeks, drying off the small wet paths on both sides of his nose with his thumbs before pressing a sweet kiss to his lips.

"Everything's okay, yes?" The setter made sure once he pulled a way, his eyes watching Bokuto seriously, but his voice gentle.

"With you, it's more than okay." Bokuto grinned, closing his eyes and pressing Akaashi's palms harder to his face, relishing the soft touch of his partly calloused hands on his cheeks. The skin was rough in some places, but their caress was nothing if not pleasant. Akaashi quickly felt the blood rushing to his cheeks. In that moment, he was glad that Bokuto had closed his eyes. His friend was simply too sweet to handle at times.

"I also think you're a good friend." Bokuto spoke quietly after a moment. "You're quiet and distant and you can be so blunt that it's almost scary, so maybe you don't hear that very often, but I do think that you're a great friend. I have few better friends than you, to be honest."

Akaashi flushed deeper at his words (even though half of what he said could hardly be considered a compliment). He didn't quite expect the feeling to be mutual. He thought of himself as a rather average friend, not one worthy of praise. Yet Bokuto could think of him so highly. "I'm glad that you think so." He replied, genuinely, a small smile threatening to pull at his lips.

"Yeah, me too." Bokuto grinned. The next instant, he stood up with a start, his features frozen in worry. "Shit. I shouldn't be keeping you so long. You have to get home, right?"

"Well, yes." Akaashi admitted with a small shrug, buttoning up the white shirt he all but forgot about. "But it's fine. This was really… nice."

The ace smiled at the word. "Yeah, it was."

Akaashi glanced at the clock in Bokuto's room. It wasn't even an hour since they entered the apartment. He sighed, thinking that his mom had really terrible timing. Seeing Bokuto's grin though, he figured that perhaps it wasn't that bad after all.

After helping him collect his things, Bokuto walked him to the entrance.

"Thank you for today." Akaashi turned to face his friend. "I certainly greatly enjoyed that."

"Me too, actually." Bokuto laughed. "Your cock was very suckable."

The setter couldn't quite help the chuckle pressing at his lips. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

"Nothing." Bokuto shrugged with that nonchalant smirk of his. "But yeah, I also had fun, so you don't have to worry about me."

"Are you sure? I _am_ leaving you half-hard after all." Akaashi frowned, using the phrase both figuratively and literally.

"Yes, yes, I'm _fine_ , mom, I'm a big boy, I can beat my dick on my own." The ace joked, before adding: "Seriously though, I'll be okay." He placed his palms on Akaashi's shoulders and maintained eye contact. "Go study and bake something super tasty to knock everyone's pants off, and don't worry about me. We'll still have plenty of opportunities to _bond_ after this, right?"

"Of course." The setter shrugged.

"Then we're all good, aren't we?" Bokuto grinned.

Akaashi nodded, feeling a certain warmth spread in his chest as he watched his friend light up. Considering that Akaashi was usually the one doing the comforting and reassuring, this was certainly an interesting change of roles. It was quite pleasant, if he had to be honest.

"Then," Bokuto tilted his head amiably. "See you tomorrow?"

"Yes, see you tomorrow." The setter bowed slightly, but didn't make any other efforts for the door. He was patiently waiting. Bokuto wouldn't forget.

With another smile, Bokuto leaned in and left a sweet kiss on Akaashi's lips. Unknowingly, both of their hearts fluttered a bit as their lips met. Bokuto was still smiling when he pulled away.

"So, uh, broship, yeah?" The ace asked flustered, rubbing the back of his neck nervously, all but forgetting his recent catchphrase.

"Yes," Akaashi agreed, stepping closer and wrapping his arms around Bokuto's torso for a brief moment. "Broship."

Bokuto didn't even attempt to stop himself from kissing Akaashi's forehead. "Yeah. Broship." He smiled as Akaashi let go of him. "Well, whatever, you get it."

"I do." Akaashi nodded, picking his bag up to leave. "Thank you for having me."

"Thank you for coming." Bokuto chuckled. "In more ways than one."

Akaashi rolled his eyes and jabbed a finger between his friend's ribs. Bokuto's puns were… well. They were _Bokuto's puns._ Akaashi believed that required no further explanation.

He turned around on his heel and opened the door without looking back at his friend. "Goodbye." Akaashi pronounced, already stepping outside.

"No, no wait, come on." Bokuto scrambled behind him, quick to hold him from the back, his arms pulling him closer by the chest. "Was it that bad?"

"Yes?" The setter turned his head back to catch at least a glimpse of his friend, speaking as though it was absolutely obvious that such terrible jokes should be punishable.

"My bad, then." Bokuto sighed, his voice apologetic, but not dejected. He then spoke softer than before. "Do your best on that test and we'll meet once your grade is settled, yeah?"

"Of course." Akaashi affirmed, feeling as Bokuto released him so that he could face him while speaking.

"Then take care." The ace smiled gently, leaning on the doorframe. "I believe in you."

"Thank you." Akaashi's expression brightened up on reflex. He had to appreciate Bokuto's encouragement. It was far more motivating than he would have expected it to be.

"So I'll see you tomorrow?" Bokuto asked by means of finally letting Akaashi go.

The setter, rather than bowing and excusing himself, reached for the back of Bokuto's head and pulled him in before letting their lips connect in a slow kiss for the last time that night. He couldn't quite tell where the urge to kiss his friend so much came from, but he certainly couldn't help acting in accordance to his desire.

"Yes, see you tomorrow." Akaashi finally pronounced when they let go of one another.

Bokuto only smiled and nodded, watching Akaashi collect his bag and head for the exit.

Only then did they notice the older man entering his apartment two doors down the hallway. He was retired, as far as Bokuto knew. But that didn't mean he was blind. The man pretended to ignore them, or perhaps intentionally made a show of looking away from their unhidden affection. The ace was at the verge of panicking and immediately began coming up with some passable excuse. However, once Akaashi had walked past him, the man spoke, audibly enough for both of them to hear. "Ah. Youth."

Bokuto stifled a chuckle. They seemed to be safe. "Bye bye, Akaashi." He waved for the last time once the man disappeared inside his apartment.

"Goodbye, Bokuto-san." Akaashi turned and waved back, continuing to walk towards the staircase. He soon disappeared as he walked down the stairs, but Bokuto kept watching the hallway with fondness, ignoring the cold evening air, as though Akaashi was still standing there.

He smiled, returning to his apartment and closing the door behind him. He realized that he really liked that setter. He _really_ liked him. He figured that it must have been a sign.

A sign that he was ready to call Akaashi more than just a friend.

He became aware that Akaashi was always more than that. It was time to put it into words.

He smiled to himself once more.

Yes, this was it.

It must have been.

It all made sense now.

He considered Akaashi more than a friend.

More than a _bro_.

Yes.

Akaashi deserved to be called by a more fitting word for their relationship.

Bokuto now saw the truth clearly.

Akaashi was…

His _best_ friend.

The thought of calling him that filled Bokuto with unadulterated joy.

* * *

 

The next day at school, Bokuto had an unusually hard time focusing in his classes. The cause was none other than the lovely dark-haired setter with whom he was spending so much time recently.

The night before Bokuto had, for a change, made the right choice of going to sleep according to his curfew, figuring that the few extra hours of sleep should be treated like a blessing, considering that on that particular night he was not going to use Skype – be it for webcam sex with one friend or for a sexy conversation with another. Of course, he _could_ have dicked around on the net for a few hours, as was another one of his bad late-night habits, but perhaps under Akaashi's healing influence, he decided that sleeping early was the right choice.

Thus, he wasn't particularly sleepy in class, and was conversely, more active and cheerful than usually in the mornings. However, it also wasn't the excitability and giddiness that usually accompanied the prospect of _bonding_ that same day with Akaashi. After all, he had decided to be patient until his friend took care of his priorities. The distraction was not rooted in his lack of sleep nor in his hurry.

No, the issue was far less complex than that and far more physiological. Simply put: Bokuto popped a boner in class. The reason for that was the aforementioned Akaashi. Or rather, Bokuto's lack of self-control over his imagination – he could hardly blame Akaashi for that.

The previous night, he had indeed gotten off to a particularly erotic vision of Akaashi, which of course faded as soon as he had climaxed. However, not even in the morning could he shake off a certain fantasy which finally crawled out of his subconscious, through his conscious and straight into his self-conscious . This process took place during class, hence causing his sorry state. He thanked the Gods for not giving him any classes during which he would have to move to a different part of the school that particular morning.

He already planned to sneak out of the classroom during lunch break and slip into the home-ec restroom and deal with the issue there. Of course, he hoped that the problem would pass on its own, but with his bright imagination reminding him of his filthiest thoughts every five minutes or so this seemed increasingly less likely. And attempting to do any proper class activities with an erection proved to be far more difficult than Bokuto imagined. Whether it was doing math exercises or reading aloud, he couldn't put his mind to anything; anything apart from Akaashi and his own groin.

At some point he felt that his arousal was becoming so unbearably uncomfortable that he was on the verge of yelling "Bathroom!" and running out of class, all within a split second. The only thing that in the end stopped him from attempting that was the almost equally unpleasant idea that people would end up thinking that he had really bad diarrhea (which, admittedly, wasn't ideal).

And thus, with an incredible amount of effort, he somehow made it to the lunch break. Now, only to wait until the class emptied a bit and he was free to go and relieve himself. He didn't, however, anticipate one minor detail – that Akaashi would go to his class to come get him immediately after his lesson finished.

"Lunch?" The setter asked, walking up to Bokuto's desk and holding up his bento box in front of the other's eyes.

Bokuto looked over the few people leftover in the classroom after a large part of his classmates left for lunch. He flashed Akaashi a nervous grin. "I can't." he pronounced quietly, apologetically clapping his palms together in front of his face.

"Why not?" Akaashi's brows furrowed.

"I…" Bokuto couldn't say it out loud. No one seemed to be paying much attention to them but he couldn't take the risk either. With a wave of the hand, he motioned his friend to come closer and quickly ripped a page out of his notebook.

Bokuto picked up his pencil and hoped that his rushed writing would be readable. "I've got a huge hard-on right now."

"Oh." Akaashi pronounced audibly as soon as he read Bokuto's message. He briefly glanced at his crotch, which turned out to be mostly hidden under the desk. Nonetheless, he could imagine the nature of the issue. He leaned in, grabbed another pencil and wrote back. "Do you think you can walk without anyone noticing it?"

Bokuto shook his head in response. Akaashi sighed.

"Would letting you cover yourself with my bento box help in transporting you to a safer location?" he suggested in writing.

Bokuto bit his lower lip. "Home-ec restroom?" he scribbled.

Akaashi nodded.

This time Bokuto spoke aloud. "Yeah, I could manage that."

The setter wasted no time and placed his packed lunch on the table. Bokuto was equally quick in standing up and picking up the bento so that it looked like he was casually holding it over his crotch rather than purposefully trying to hide something underneath it. Akaashi thought that it did look a bit awkward but it would have to do. He figured that the usual commotion in the hallway would hide Bokuto and his predicament best.

Akaashi headed out of the classroom first, in order to give the ace some extra hiding potential behind his back. Considering how closely he followed him, it seemed that Bokuto used said potential to its fullest.

Having received a few odd glances on the corridor, they finally made it to the empty restroom, where the ace returned Akaashi his lunch. The latter only took it and set it on the side of one of the sinks.

"Thanks, man, you really are a life-saver." Bokuto admitted, placing his hand on Akaashi's shoulder.

"I couldn't possibly leave you like that." Akaashi shrugged, both accepting the thanks and politely rejecting it, once again feeling like it was largely undeserved. "Do you mind telling me how you ended up like that though?"

Bokuto's lips twisted in an awkward smile. "Yeah, uh… Just another stupid fantasy, you know…"

"I'm not upset." Akaashi assured, his face deadpan the way it usually was, regardless of whether he was annoyed or relaxed. "I'm genuinely curious."

"I… Um…" Bokuto couldn't get the words out, a shade of red quickly rising to his cheeks. "I…" he lowered his voice. "I imagined you sucking my dick."

Akaashi had to blink a few times at that response. "I see."

"I'm sorry, I just couldn't help it." The ace covered his face in embarrassment.

"That's alright, it happens." Akaashi assured, slowly grabbing Bokuto by the arm and pulling him towards the stalls. "Let's go then."

"Let's go where?" Bokuto lowered his hands and looked to his friend in confusion, his forehead wrinkling.

"I'll suck it, but let's at least hide from any possible intruders." Akaashi announced, his voice level, not hesitating once.

Bokuto stopped immediately and opened his eyes so wide that he almost passed for an actual owl. "You'll _what_?"

"Bokuto-san, do you want it or not?" the setter quickly took his no-bullshit approach.

"Well, yeah, of course I do, but _what_?" Bokuto repeated incredulously. "You really don't have to, I mean, it's called a 'fantasy' for a reason."

"I can do that much, there should be no problem." He was intending to do so sooner or later, considering that he didn't exactly want to remain indebted with the favor to Bokuto. And this was as good of a time as ever. Not to mention that he was quite eager to try it out himself. "I want to do it, too."

"Okay." Bokuto nodded, swallowing hard. He spent most of the morning thinking about this, but he never thought he could actually receive it, not to mention getting it so quickly. He opened one of the stalls and held the door, letting Akaashi inside.

Once he entered it himself, he realized that it provided little space, but they would have to make it work. Bokuto quickly pulled the lock on the door and turned around to face Akaashi who now sat on the closed lid of the toilet. The setting was considerably less sexy than in his imagination, but the ace wasn't about to complain about getting head in the wrong place.

Akaashi quickly reached to his zipper and lowered the neat slacks along with the briefs. His eyes quickly met with the flushed member which sprung right out of the confinement of the clothing. He loosely wrapped his fingers around it and gave it a few leisurely strokes, looking up at his friend and trying to gauge his level of need.

Bokuto's face already gained a deeper shade of red. "Are you really okay with this?" he spoke quietly, feeling like he was exploiting Akaashi's kindness.

"Yes, you needn't worry about me." The setter assured. "I've wanted to do this since yesterday."

"Oh, okay then." Bokuto exhaled, feeling the extra tension leaving his body as he was successfully convinced that he would not infringe on Akaashi's comfort zone with his silly desire. Only then could he appreciate how snugly he fit into the setter's moving hand.

Without another warning, Akaashi's mouth wrapped around the head of Bokuto's cock and the latter couldn't quite suppress a gasp. He covered his lips with his hand, hoping to keep any and all noises confined within himself – the restroom may have been isolated from the major part of the building, but he would not be taking any acoustics-related risks (getting a blowjob at school was a huge risk in and of itself).

Meanwhile, Akaashi placed one of his hands on Bokuto's hip, the other still on his shaft, pumping the area which wouldn't fit in his mouth. He was sucking on the head now, and sucking _hard_. There would be no teasing today – only the hottest and heaviest which the inexperienced setter could offer. Letting Bokuto take his time enjoying himself wasn't the point right now – getting him off was. And Akaashi would put all his effort into delivering a satisfying performance. He began bobbing back and forth, his tongue running down the slit and further down, as far as the length would reach into his throat. He, quite unfortunately, didn't possess that same lack of a gag reflex which Bokuto was blessed with, but he wouldn't let that affect his results.

He seemed to be fine in any case – Bokuto breathed harder every time he was sucked into the back of Akaashi's throat then returned to his mouth and again pushed back into that ridiculously pleasant warmth. And the visual, _God_ , the _visual_ he got when Akaashi, eyes closed and focused, pulled him in and out of his mouth in an all-too quick rhythm, which proved to be all-too good. He was close; closer with every _second_.

Then out of nowhere, they could hear the door to the bathroom being slammed open. Akaashi stilled immediately. Bokuto held his breath.

"Anyone here?" A young, male voice called.

"Dude, why would _anyone_ want to be here, this place smells like shit." Another voice, somewhat higher than the first one (but undoubtedly also male), quickly corrected. (It did smell like shit, Bokuto and Akaashi had to admit, but they couldn't be bothered, considering their priorities.)

"Right." The other agreed, not bothering with checking the stalls (for which Akaashi and Bokuto thanked the gods). "But we want to be here." The lower voice added.

"Well, yeah, just because there's no better place." The higher voice snapped once more. "But this'll do. Come here."

The next thing Akaashi and Bokuto heard was a quiet thud on one of the walls and that familiar wet sound which the two could easily recognize after the few days of _bonding_. The two other guys were kissing - a hot make-out as far as the ace and the setter could tell. The guy with the lower voice now released breathy moans, only partly captured by his partner's lips. Both of their breaths sounded desperate, but blissful nonetheless. Akaashi took the occasion to release Bokuto from his mouth and as his friend opened his lips to speak, Akaashi lifted a foreboding finger to his own lips. They had to be silent. _No one_ could find out about them.

After a brief moment, the owners of the two voices seemed step apart from each other, their breaths heavy and the sound of sloppy kissing gone.

"I love you." The higher voice pronounced intently.

"I love you, too." Was the immediate response from the lower voice.

"I can't wait till we do it again." The higher announced breathlessly.

"Me, neither." The lower agreed. "But you know my mom is a professional housewife, my house is off-limits."

"Well, so is mine." The higher argued, mildly irritated and somewhat sad. "Then what? A love hotel?"

"Well, why not?" The lower giggled. "I heard they can have some nice toys in those, too."

"But sex in a love hotel is so cliché." The higher whined briefly.

"That's what love hotels are made for, you dumbass." The lower laughed.

"Yeah, fine, whatever." The higher seemed to pout. "If it's our best option then I'll do it. I _want_ to do it again already. And again. And _again_."

"Me too." The lower spoke softer now and a soft kiss (either one on the cheek or the forehead) resounded through the restroom. "I want you in me."

"Tonight? Can we go tonight?" The higher pleaded immediately.

"Tell our parents that we're going to a mixer to some karaoke place?" The lower suggested with an audible grin. "Yes, sir, I'm down for that."

"Sounds good to me." The higher chuckled.

"Then it's a deal." The lower agreed. "Let's get some lunch now, kay? Unless you wanna make-out some more?"

"If we're really going tonight then I'm good. And right now, I'm _starving._ "

"Lunch it is." The lower decided, turning towards the door. The next thing Bokuto and Akaashi heard was the door falling shut.

They remained quiet for a few more seconds, before Bokuto whispered. "Who were they?"

Akaashi only shrugged in response. He didn't recognize the voices, and considering the size of the school it wouldn't be very surprising if neither of them knew the two boys in question. "Can I continue?"

" _Please_." Bokuto begged quietly and without missing a beat, Akaashi had him in his mouth once more, any traces of holding back long gone. He worked his hand up and down Bokuto's stiffness and pulled him so deep into his throat that some tears came to his eyes, but he could hardly care. Bokuto seemed to be losing his mind, arching his back above him and trying his hardest to keep any and all noises confined behind his teeth, and it was all so gratifying that Akaashi barely felt that he was choking. His friend's reactions were enough of a gift to justify his efforts.

It wasn't long before Bokuto was patting his friend's shoulder, releasing an increasingly pathetic noise, mimicking Akaashi's practice from the day before. He didn't want to cause problems for Akaashi if he could avoid it. The setter seemed to be unrelenting, however, and a moment later he was experiencing his friend's climax, albeit not in the same way as Bokuto did. The ace got his breath stolen away and he clung to the smooth walls of the stall, trying his hardest to keep himself standing up on his melting legs. To say that he was overwhelmed by his orgasm would be an understatement.

Akaashi on the other hand, having allowed Bokuto to finish in peace, waited for a few terribly long seconds before standing up, opening the lid on which he sat on and spitting out the bitter fluid. As chance would have it, he also had to slightly choke on the remains of his friend's release, causing him to begin coughing violently. Although, to Bokuto that was putting it lightly – Akaashi was heaving, bent over the toilet. The ace was quick to worry that his friend would throw up.

"God, are you okay?" he placed his hand on Akaashi shoulder.

The setter quickly closed his lips, wiped them with the back of his hand and took a few deep breaths through his nose, slowly closing the lid and standing up straight.

"I'm so sorry." Bokuto said, his eyes wide in terror, and his hand quickly covering his mouth.

Akaashi only shook his head and in an instant reached to the nape of Bokuto's neck and pulled him in for a deep kiss. In an instant, he felt his friend relax and give into his lips and wandering tongue. Bokuto quickly noticed the pungent taste of semen, but disregarded it just as fast; Akaashi's kisses were always sweet and precious. His friend's lips allowed him to forget everything around them and yield to the simple physicality of the moment. Akaashi only had a faint idea of just how much Bokuto appreciated this form of affection.

Once they finally parted from one another, the ace looked at him fondly. "So you _are_ okay?" he asked again with a small smile.

"More than okay." Akaashi asserted with a nod. (Part of his reason for that answer was the kiss, part of it was the fact that he had miraculously avoided getting hard in the process of sucking his friend off. Missing out on lunch because he was jerking off did not sound like fun for his empty stomach.)

"Oh, by the way," Bokuto began when they finally left the cramped stall. "Do you think those two guys were gay?"

"That would be my first guess, yes." Akaashi nodded, looking to the sinks to find his bento box untouched. The fact that the two were so focused on one another that they didn't notice his lunch sitting in plain sight was yet another miracle. It must have been his lucky day.

"Huh," The ace stared into space thoughtfully. "I didn't know we had gay guys at Fukurodani."

"I'm pretty sure most schools have gay guys these days." Akaashi shrugged, pumping some soap onto his hand and turning on the faucet. "But, as we've just heard, they hide away in home-economics restrooms and love hotels rather than manifesting their love in broad daylight."

"Do you think we're like them?" Bokuto asked cautiously, getting onto dangerous conversation territory which Akaashi would prefer to avoid.

"As far as I'm aware, we've never been to a love hotel together." The setter attempted to play it off in his typical stoic manner (and with some minor sarcasm), as he lathered his hands in the water.

"You know that's not what I mean." Bokuto looked at him seriously now. "I mean, we also kiss, and do sexy things together and even hide in the home-ec bathroom to do both of the above. How exactly are we different?"

"We don't say 'I love you'." Akaashi closed the faucet and answered matter-of-factly. He did not want to have this conversation. He hoped this much would be enough to seal Bokuto's doubts for the moment.

"Well, no…" Bokuto had to agree with a sigh. "But we basically do everything else. And yeah, I know we're just _bros_ , and it's all just _bonding_ , but… What if we've gone too far? What if we did something wrong on the way? What if we're just like them by now?"

He had never really stopped to think about what they were doing. Not until now. And he didn't like the conclusions he was reaching.

"Of course we're different, Bokuto-san." Akaashi insisted, pulling a few paper towels out of a dispenser and drying his hands. "Doesn't the 'I love you' make all the difference? Those two guys do all that they do because they love each other, because that's how they show their love and that's how they grow closer as partners. Yes, we _bond_ because we want to be closer as well, but it is intimate friendship rather than love. We simply do all those things together because we enjoy them, because it's convenient, because we're _friends_. At any point in time during our _bonding,_ did you ever think that you might love me?"

"No, we're just friends, why would I think that?" Bokuto was quick to reply, mildly defensive.

"Exactly. That's the difference. We're _friends._ They're _lovers_. The 'I love you' is what really counts." Akaashi crumpled the wet paper towels and threw them into the nearest trashcan. He turned to Bokuto and found him looking to the ground pensively.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." He nodded slowly.

"If you need a confirmation, feel free to kiss me." Akaashi assured, stepping closer to his friend and facing him from the small distance. "Kissing a friend feels different to kissing someone you love."

"You just want to kiss again." Bokuto chuckled, feeling himself relax once more. "But alright."

The ace cupped Akaashi cheek and slowly brought their lips together. It was warm and gentle and pleasant and the slightest bit wet. It made his heart beat a little faster. Made his mind a little more hazy. Made that familiar _nice_ ness spread from his chest to the tip of his fingers. It made him happy; happier than usual. It made him want to always be within arms-length of Akaashi. He smiled into the kiss.

"You're right." He admitted once their lips had parted and they watched each other in the calm of the restroom. "It feels like friendship."

Bokuto had never been in love.

He had no way of knowing that this was precisely what love felt like.

He was absolutely convinced that this was no other feeling than the one he wanted it to be:

_True broship._

He was happy.

Ignorance really was bliss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The inevitable seems to be closing in on our two boys. What will happen next? We will have to find out next time. ;)
> 
> On a last note of sorts, I also wanted to tell you guys that this is my first fic which got over 300 kudos and you can't even imagine how happy that makes me. Maybe many fic writers don't care about those things, but it genuinely brings me joy to see that people appreciate my work. You are all wonderful and all of your kudos and comments give me the strength to write more and write (hopefully) better. Thank you for your continued support, I am genuinely grateful for giving my story so much of your time. ^^
> 
> PS: Sorry for being sappy, this fic is a bit of a breakthrough for me in more ways than one. Also it's 4 am. xD
> 
> Thank you for reading and I hope to see you in the new chapter soon. ^^


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am officially calling this chapter "the chapter of horizotal lines". You'll see what I mean once you get into it.
> 
> A relevant note: This was a big chapter, both length-wise and story-wise, and I actually ended up splitting it in the end, because 9k words is already A LOT for just one chapter (and it would have been like 12k+ otherwise). The rest will be coming soon (hopefully next week, but shh, nobody can find out).
> 
> Alright, that's all for my notes. As always, I hope you enjoy and thank you for following this story. ^^

05:47

Take care on your way home! :D

-

Akaashi looked up from his phone to Bokuto who stood only a few lockers away, his hands still on his smartphone, eyes glancing to the side.

"Bokuto-san, I'm standing less than three meters away from you." The setter sighed. "Is it absolutely necessary to text me?"

Bokuto only smirked, looking up at Akaashi, then back to their conversation on his screen. He tapped out a few characters before letting his eyes rise to see his friend's reaction.

05:48

Yes ;)

05:49

And why is that?

-

Akaashi gave up on trying to speak to him properly. When Bokuto set his mind to something, the setter wasn't able to convince him to stop or do something differently, no matter how practical the alternative was. Or, he technically _could_ , but he quickly concluded that it would take far more effort than just going along with Bokuto's texting.

-

Because I want to send you a kiss

Here

:*

-

Akaashi's hand shot up to his own temples only to slowly begin rubbing them in exhaustion. Bokuto must have been in one of his silly moods. He'd do these things sometimes; these mostly pointless little things that somehow made him unusually happy. For the first time, Akaashi also found himself enjoying his playful antics. For the first time, he caught himself on thinking that it was actually pretty cute.

05:50

Okay.

You also get one:

:*

-

Bokuto actually _squealed_ when he read the message. A few of their teammates still hanging around the locker room turned their heads, eyebrows knitting in confusion. Someone asked "You alright there?"

"I'm fine." Bokuto laughed. "Just saw a really cute kitten video."

Two or three of the guys rolled their eyes. They were convinced that it was _at least_ five years too late for Bokuto to squeal at cat videos.

05:51

Cute kitten videos, huh?

What can I say, that was adorable af :3

I see.

-

"Good work today, everyone." Akaashi grabbed his bag and bowed lightly to his teammates. "See you tomorrow."

He was sent off by the brief melody of 'See you's and Bokuto's warm smile. Once he found himself outside and started heading out of the school, he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.

05:53

Seriously tho, take care and have fun studying ^^

-

Akaashi allowed himself a small smile.

05:54

Thank you, I'll do my best.

-

He realized that once he stopped thinking of Bokuto's antics as unnecessary and annoying, he found himself quite charmed by his friend's behavior. _Bonding_ seemed to also provide a new perspective on things. He had to admit that he didn't hate this change.

The rest of 'BJ Wednesday', as (much to Akaashi's displeasure) Bokuto quickly decided to call the day, had been largely uneventful. The two managed to eat lunch before the end of the break and even made it to class before the chime filled the hallways. However, judging by Akaashi's light scowl as he ate, Bokuto figured that they wouldn't be _bonding_ at school again, unless a similar emergency would appear. Akaashi wasn't a fan of rushing his meals, which Bokuto duly noted and made sure to remind himself to keep his sexual fantasies outside of school walls.

The practice that afternoon went well. Not standard well, but rather post- _bonding_ well. Bokuto and Akaashi liked this new normal, and the rest of the team went along with the positive attitude and improved performance. They could get used to it. It felt like the sort of power that could get them to nationals. They would only have to keep it up. In a quick exchange of glances, Bokuto and Akaashi agreed that with the current pace of their relations they could manage that for a month or two more in the least. That should be enough to get to the finals.

All hail _bonding_.

* * *

 

Later that evening, a little past 10 pm, Akaashi got another text from Bokuto.

10:12

Mind if I call you?

Not at all, go ahead.

-

A moment later his generic ringtone (the same one which cut their last proper _bonding_ session short) spilled from the small speakers of his smartphone. Akaashi quickly thumbed the green 'answer' key.

"Hello?" The setter greeted him, his voice betraying his confusion with the random phone call.

"Hi, I hope I'm not interrupting history preparations?" Bokuto asked cautiously.

"No, I'm pretty much finished by now." Akaashi answered with a shrug. He was about to go take a shower, if he had to be precise.

"Okay, awesome." He could hear Bokuto relaxing now. "Feeling confident?"

"Yes, I think I'll manage." Akaashi answered calmly.

"Okay, that's great." The ace spoke with a smile. "I just wanted to wish you good luck and say that I believe in you. And that's not just because I want to meet up and _bond_ again. I mean, I do, but that's not why I'm calling you. Ugh, sorry, I'm not making any sense."

"No, don't worry, I understand." The setter nodded habitually. He felt his chest warm up when he heard Bokuto's encouragement, even if he did call partly due to superficial reasons. Akaashi thought that it was nice of him to care. "And I appreciate it. I'll do my best."

"Okay, then I'm glad." Bokuto's voice still sounded like he was smiling. "See you tomorrow, then?"

"Yes, see you tomorrow." Akaashi bit his lip and hesitated for a moment. "And Bokuto-san… Thank you for calling. It made me happy."

"Really?" Akaashi easily heard how quickly Bokuto's voice went from casual to overjoyed.

"Yes." He answered softly. "See you tomorrow."

"Bye-bye." The two cheerful syllables were the last thing he heard before he pressed the 'end' key.

Akaashi suddenly felt flustered. He never really shared his emotions with others; he felt that it was irrelevant. He never considered it essential to say things like "I'm happy" or "I'm sad" or "I'm angry". Nobody was really interested in his current emotional state anyway. He would only ever put his feelings into words when the situation required it – whether it was a misunderstanding or any other potentially inconvenient issue. But this time, it wasn't either of those situations. There was no real need for him to confess how he felt, yet he did it regardless. For a change, he felt like he _wanted_ to inform Bokuto of his feelings, not out of a sense of necessity, but simply because it was the truth. Because he _was_ happy. Because he wanted Bokuto to know. He couldn't quite grasp _why_ exactly he wanted him to know, but he couldn't deny that that was the case.

_Bonding_ , He thought to himself and immediately felt like scoffing. It practically became an excuse for anything and everything in the recent days. But he didn't really mind. It most likely _was_ responsible for all of this anyway, there was no real point in denying it.

For just a brief moment, he let his mind slip to thinking about what he would do with Bokuto the next time they would _bond_. He was looking forward to it. He caught himself looking forward to their time alone before every single meeting. It was silly, really, he thought of no other way to call it. But he liked it. And so did Bokuto. He considered all the possible reasons but he found none to prove that there was anything wrong with what they were doing.

And though he thought it was pretty stupid and unnecessary, he found himself admitting that he had been really happy in the past few days. His deadpan expression would never betray it, but Bokuto made him happy. This evening, for the first time, he decided to share that information with him. He didn't regret it. He thought that perhaps there was no point in keeping so much to himself after all?

* * *

 

The next morning, just as he left the house, Akaashi got another phone call. It was from Bokuto, of course.

"You said that calling you made you happy, so I thought that I'd brighten up your morning." He threw in, by means of explanation once Akaashi picked up and asked him what was the matter.

And it sort of did, Akaashi had to admit; Bokuto's voice and inherent energy made the cool morning that tiny bit more pleasant. The ace asked him to tell him all the details of the topic he would write his test on, and although he himself couldn't remember more than the name of the time period, he patiently listened to his friend reciting long strings of information and diligently asked him more specific question, as though he knew what he was doing.

They talked through Akaashi's entire trip to his nearest station, where he had to hang up due to common train courtesy. He thought it was a bit of a pity, considering that the revision helped him remember a large part of the material and Bokuto actually managed to bring his spirits up. Akaashi enjoyed the feeling of being prepared. He was grateful for Bokuto's help. It was reassuring to know that even he could act like a proper _senpai_ every once in a while.

* * *

 

Akaashi's test was in the afternoon. Bokuto offered to help him revise during lunch, and the setter took him up on the offer in a heartbeat. He believed that you could never study too much, and the more points he got, the less fussy his parents would be about his grades. He needed all the free time he could get now for both, practice and meeting up with Bokuto. He almost smiled, thinking about how the ace became a priority for all the unlikely reasons.

The next time they met was after classes, right before practice. Bokuto waited for Akaashi in front of his classroom. The setter found himself silently admitting that he was happy to see him. Waiting for one another in front of their classes was a pleasant reminder of how close they were as friends.

"So, how it'd go?" Bokuto picked up as they headed to the clubroom.

"I don't know my scores yet, but I have a good feeling about it." Akaashi answered simply.

"Okay, that's awesome." The ace beamed. "Does that mean that we can… _bond_ soon?"

"I hope so." Akaashi's voice was quieter now. "To be perfectly honest my parents told me that until I get my grades back, they don't want me going out anywhere."

"Oh, I see." Bokuto's excitement faded away quickly, as though someone turned the switch on the lamp of his optimistic attitude. But just as Akaashi thought that, the ace surprised him with: "But you'll definitely do well and the teachers usually grade those things quickly, so you'll know by tomorrow and then we can meet again, right?"

"Yes, then there should be nothing in our way." The setter nodded in agreement. "And my parents are leaving for the weekend again, so you will be more than welcome to come and stay over."

"Your parents sure don't like spending weekends at home." Bokuto chuckled. It was the second weakened in a row, after all. There must have been something to it.

"They travel. They decided that now that they're in their mid-forties it's time to stop stalling and start exploring all the places in Japan they always wanted to see, but never ended up going." Akaashi explained calmly. "You know, ski resorts, hot springs, the seaside. Trying out regional dishes, visiting temples and other landmarks – they love that sort of thing."

"And you don't?" Bokuto looked to him in surprise. He would have loved that – he always loved field trips.

"I do. But someone has to watch the house." He shrugged, as though he didn't care. Bokuto could tell that he did. He assumed that he wished he could go sightseeing and enjoy all the local attractions with his parents but agreed to house-sitting, simply because he didn't want to cause trouble for them. Bokuto's smile was gone by now. "But it's fine. I have time until my mid-forties to travel."

Bokuto laughed. "You don't need to wait so long. Why don't we go somewhere during summer vacations? What's better than seeing a bit of your country with friends while you're still young?"

"Bokuto-san, that's ages into the future." Akaashi shook his head. "Besides, you'll be in university by then."

"So?" Bokuto shrugged. He never much cared that he was graduating this year. Akaashi was certain that he never actually thought what it meant to graduate. "If you were hoping that I'd stop pestering you once I'm in uni then I'll have to disappoint you. You're my friend, after all. I'd never just leave you behind."

Akaashi felt that he was blushing. Since when did Bokuto's words affect him so much? He couldn't tell, but he didn't hate it either.

"And, you know, I'm sure your parents would let you go with a responsible adult like myself when I'm in uni." Bokuto leaned closer and wiggled his eyebrows convincingly. Akaashi stifled a laugh.

"I'm pretty certain that 'you' and 'responsible adult' used in one sentence is an oxymoron." He spoke resolutely, a small smirk threatening to grown on his lips.

"Akaashi, did you just call me a _moron_?" Bokuto asked in feigned irritation, furrowing his brows crossly and glaring at his friend.

"I wouldn't _dare_ , Bokuto-san." Akaashi denied innocently.

They weren't given a chance to continue their playful banter, as by then they had reached the changing rooms by the gym.

* * *

 

After practice Bokuto and Akaashi stayed behind once their teammates went home. The setter found it rather fascinating how helping the team give 120% during practice every day made the changing rooms drain quicker than usual. He couldn't blame them either – he himself thought of how much he would love to flop onto his bed and nap or go take a relaxing bath. But he would be able to do that in due time. For the moment, there was Bokuto.

Akaashi wanted to show him his gratitude for helping him revise and for being so patient with him – something which for Bokuto was a great feat. After the last time they were almost caught, he decided to lead his friend to behind one of the lockers, where it would be difficult to spot them even if someone entered the room without their noticing. This time, they would be safe.

Slowly, Akaashi's hand reached to the back of Bokuto's head and he tenderly threaded his fingers through his friend's gel-covered hair. He only now realized that Bokuto never washed his hair after practice, or rinsed it so lightly that most of the gel never came off. He wondered if he was self-conscious about wearing his hair down. The thought was quickly replaced by the current image of Bokuto as he smiled at him gently, a hint of excitement in his eyes, his lashes batting all but coquettishly as he blinked.

Akaashi finally pulled Bokuto in and allowed himself to forget for a moment about history tests and volleyball practice and parents as he lost himself in the kiss. His friend's lips were soft and their tongues were wet and Bokuto's hair felt nice to the touch. The ace's hands were wrapped around his waist, one of his own hands resting on his friend's hip. They were so close and he loved every second of it; the way Bokuto held him and the way he touched him and the way they kissed. It was easy to say that he was happy when they were like this – he rarely felt happier. And for the first time, he was the one smiling into the kiss.

Once they had let go of one another, Bokuto was looking at Akaashi's usual deadpan expression. He grinned in his stead. He had felt that smile. He felt that it was now his secret. And more than anything, he felt happy that Akaashi was willing to show him at least that crumb of a smile then he would take it and cherish it, precisely because it was Akaashi, precisely because he'd never shown that much to anyone. Not like this. He felt blessed for receiving this much from the setter, of all people.

That hint of an intangible smile was more than enough to compensate for a few days without _bonding_.

* * *

 

The following day was Friday – the one week anniversary of the day they began their _bonding._

Bokuto said he would buy Akaashi anything from the school cafeteria for the occasion. After a lot of insisting that it was completely unnecessary, that they could celebrate without gifts, Akaashi finally gave in and asked Bokuto to buy him the cheapest thing he could spot – a simple wheat cookie.

Bokuto decided to go all out for their one week anniversary and bought _two_ cookies, one for himself, of course.

A week. They've been _bonding_ for a week now, and not even an entire week, considering that they took a few days off all throughout it. It felt much longer than a week. Even if they had known each other for over two years, they had never been this close. Perhaps getting this close made time move slower, Bokuto wondered.

Akaashi received his history grade that morning. As they sat down at a table to eat their anniversary cookies during the lunch break, Bokuto wasted no time to ask him how the test went.

"It went well." He nodded politely in response. "I got 93%."

"Dude, that's awesome." Bokuto flashed him a grin, hinting that he knew the implications of the good results.

"Yes, it's pretty good." Akaashi shrugged in modesty.

" _Pretty good_? Come on now, it's really great. What did you get on the previous test?" Bokuto insisted. He really thought it was an amazing score.

"Well…" The setter's cheeks reddened slightly, and he suddenly spoke softer, looking off to the side "71%."

" _Dude_ ," Bokuto shook his head in disbelief. "No freaking way. Your parents made you correct 70%? That's not just a passing grade. That's a _good_ grade. My mom would throw me a party if I got 70% in a test."

Akaashi knew that Bokuto wasn't good at studying. He wasn't stupid – he actually considered him one of his more intelligent friends. (He saw some of Bokuto's essays. He could properly argue for and against a point and discuss things in length. He had critical thinking skills. That alone made him far better than many of the boys he knew.) He just couldn't focus and had difficulties memorizing details. Sometimes he was plain lazy, too. Akaashi sometimes wondered whether or not his friend had some undiagnosed learning difficulties, which his parents ignored simply because he had a sports scholarship. Not that they didn't care for his son's education – he knew very well that they cared, that they wanted their son to do his best. He concluded that they finally just got used to Bokuto's being mediocre at school and exceeding at sports and didn't pester him too much about it. Then again, he wouldn't know. He only had his assumptions after all.

"My parents want me to get a scholarship to a good university." Akaashi explained. "They think that once my grades start dropping to 70% then they can only get lower from there, until I stop studying altogether."

"Your parents worry too much." Bokuto smiled sympathetically. "You're super smart. I'm sure you'll manage to get into any uni you choose."

"Thank you." Akaashi's lips twitched. "I'm happy you think so."

And he really was. Bokuto was elated just hearing that his thoughts made someone happy.

* * *

 

Despite it being their one week anniversary, Akaashi apologized to Bokuto, saying that he wouldn't be able to meet up with him today either. His parents wanted to take him out to a restaurant to celebrate his grade and to spend some more time with their son before they went off on another weekend-long trip to some nice place, leaving Akaashi behind.

Bokuto looked dejected upon hearing this. He said that he was fine, that he understood, but Akaashi clearly saw that he believed that they could spend more time tonight and was deeply disappointed upon learning the truth. The setter felt a pang in his chest, seeing him like this. He promised that they could _bond_ over Skype once he was back from dinner. That seemed to return the cheer to Bokuto's expression.

"So, where did your parents go last weekend?" The ace started in curiosity, as they headed for the changing rooms after class.

"Sapporo." Akaashi recalled quickly.

"And now they're going to…?"

"Matsuyama." The setter finished promptly.

"They like variety, huh?" Bokuto titled his head, remembering where the cities lay geographically and what their specialties were.

"I have genuinely no idea how they decide their next travel location." Akaashi blinked a few times, feeling like his parent's choices were completely random.

"Throwing darts at the map of Japan?" The ace suggested with a smirk.

"I wouldn't be surprised." Akaashi admitted with a shake of the head.

Bokuto was already planning the coolest summer trip in his head. He would be sure to be more methodical when choosing the cities they would visit.

* * *

 

True to his promise, Akaashi and Bokuto had Skype sex that night. _Bonding_ over web cam on the one week anniversary of their first sexual internet connection. They couldn't avoid getting nostalgic about the whole thing.

"It's funny thinking that it all started with _this_ just a week ago." Bokuto sighed with a smile as he slowly stroked up and down his length. "Though we're less awkward than we were last week."

"I would say that _most things_ are less awkward than we were when we did it last week." Akaashi spoke matter-of-factly, his hand carefully working his stiffness. They were able to hold a casual conversation while watching each other masturbate. Akaashi would say that they were leaps and bounds ahead of their selves from the previous week.

"You're right." Bokuto chuckled, his voice slightly breathy. "It's really nice to be able to share something like this, you know? Feels like a unique connection. I mean, how many guys can say that they're close enough with their friends to do _this_?"

"Not many, I'm sure." Akaashi shook his head, with all but pride. "And I agree. It's nice. It's _really_ nice."

Akaashi didn't much like the word 'nice'. He always thought it was vague, that it didn't really mean anything.

When they shared their ' _nic_ e's with Bokuto, it meant everything.

* * *

 

On Saturday morning Bokuto got a message from Akaashi during his preparations for school. He read it during breakfast. It read thus:

"Bokuto-san, like I had told you previously, my parents are gone and won't be back until Sunday evening. I hope you still want to come over?"

"Always. :)" was Bokuto's answer.

Bokuto quickly asked his mom for permission, which she granted him without too much fuss. He was certain that she wouldn't be so lenient if he were asking if he could spend the weekend over with a theoretical girlfriend. He loved how engaging into sexual acts with his male friend guaranteed no suspicion from the outside world.

_Bro bonding_ was a beautiful thing indeed, he thought and smirked to himself.

* * *

 

At school, the team decided to gather for a small part of the lunch break in order to tell everyone that the practice was cancelled. Both their coach and their supervisor decided that after the week of extraordinarily hard work they should rest their bodies, so that they could safely return to practice on Monday. Few members complained – taking a break was never a bad thing and in their somewhat overworked state, it felt much-deserved.

Bokuto winked at Akaashi.

Akaashi nodded in response.

Their classes finished at 1 pm on Saturdays but they used to stay at school practicing until late. Now, they would be able to leave in the early afternoon.

Which for them could only mean one thing – more time for _bonding._

Both, the captain and the vice-captain welcomed the lack of practice with arms wide open.

* * *

 

When they entered Akaashi's room this time there was no awkward silence, no standing around, no hesitating where they should begin and what would be acceptable and what wouldn't. They slammed the door shut as soon as they were inside, dropped their bags to the floor and without missing a beat began making out.

Only a week had passed since their first proper encounter in person. Only a week since they had touched one another like they had never touched anyone before. Only a week – that much was enough to break down their barriers and allow them to get lost in the sensuality of the moment without unnecessary questions or worries or doubt.

After a few shaky steps through their uninterrupted kiss, they found themselves stumbling to the bed, where Bokuto quickly reached under Akaashi button down shirt and began circling his thumb around his nipple. The setter moaned into the kiss, surprised and excited all at once. He pulled away a moment later, his breath heavy as he spoke. "Bokuto-san."

"Yes?" Bokuto answered, stopping his hands and distancing his face enough for his eyes to focus on his friend. He was panting as well, his lungs trying to catch up with his racing heart-beat.

"Do you already have a plan of what you want to do today?" Akaashi asked calmly, sounding far too formal for the occasion, according to Bokuto.

"I figured I'd just go with the flow and we'd figure something out as we went along." He grinned, a somewhat seductive glint in his eyes.

"Okay." Akaashi seemed to hold his breath for a moment, looking away as he hesitated. "Would you like to, you know… have sex?"

"Aren't we already having sex?" The ace's forehead wrinkled in confusion. They were not having sex in the traditional meaning of the word, but he figured that performing sexual acts together counted as _some_ form of sex regardless.

"No, I mean, like… penetrative sex." Akaashi finally pronounced, his voice growing quiet with every word, almost simultaneously with the blush spilling on his cheeks.

"Oh." Bokuto stilled, slowly processing his friend's words, his face flushing in a sudden moment of clarity "Like, me in you?"

"…Yes." Akaashi nodded, allowing his gaze to pass Bokuto's face by a few centimeters, focusing on his white ceiling instead. He wondered whether he wasn't suddenly going too far (as though they hadn't gone far enough already, he thought ironically).

"Do you… want that?" Bokuto asked cautiously, and Akaashi felt that he wouldn't be wrong in saying that the level of awkwardness between had returned to the one from a week ago.

"Would I suggest it if I didn't want it?" The setter answered quickly, offering his friend a weak glare. He felt like he was making all of this far more difficult than it needed to be.

"No, I want to know you're not just doing it for me." Bokuto shook his head all too seriously. Akaashi rolled his eyes with a scoff.

"I'll have to disappoint you, but you're not the only one with needs here." He patted his friend's shoulder with mild contempt, before letting his hand and his attitude drop. "Unless, of course, you don't want to, then we can just go with the flow."

"Well, if you insist." Bokuto flashed a coy smile, leaning into Akaashi neck and biting gently at the soft flesh just above his white collar, eliciting a quiet moan. Akaashi found the sensation unexpectedly pleasant – somewhat painful, yes, but arousing in a way he couldn't have predicted.

Bokuto backed away before the setter could ask for more. "Sorry, I shouldn't do that. What with all the hickeys…"

Akaashi sighed. For once, Bokuto was reasonable and he was right. "That's alright. One bite won't hurt."

A tender smile spread on the ace's lips immediately. "Okay." He lowered his head once more and kissed the spot he had bitten. "So you want to do it?"

"Yeah. You?" Akaashi raised his chin in question.

"Yeah." Bokuto grinned and left a quick, wet kiss on Akaashi's lips. When he pulled away, the setter's mouth seemed as unmoved as usual, but there was a happy glimmer in his eyes. He concluded that this was his most natural way of smiling. He loved every second of it. He kissed him again, and then once more, for good measure. Akaashi's eyes – and the way he looked at him – were beautiful.

Before long they were both naked on the bed, Akaashi's legs spread in a position he would usually find compromising, Bokuto's fingers inside of him. The ace pressed a third digit against his entrance and his friend quivered helplessly. Bokuto planted kisses around his navel as he inserted three fingers into him, causing a muffled groan to rise from beneath the hand which Akaashi clasped over his mouth. Despite the generous amounts of lube (which admittedly made his job easier), he could feel his friend tightening around him. "You okay?" he asked softly.

"I'm fine." Akaashi nodded, lifting his hand from his lips momentarily. Bokuto's fingers entered him deeply, all but up to the knuckle, curling inside him, letting him relax, coaxing him into lifting his hips off the bed and pushing against the fingers desperately so that they rubbed over his most sensitive spot.

"You know, Akaashi," Bokuto began with a light smile. "You're pretty hot when you lose yourself in being fingered."

"Says the person who came from his ass." Akaashi scoffed with a needy exhale, which took away a considerable amount from his edge.

"Touché." Bokuto smirked, taking a leisurely stroke down Akaashi's cock, setting his body into a pleased shiver.

"Bokuto-san," Akaashi finally pronounced, his breath heavy, voice far less deadpan than usual. "I'm ready."

"You sure?" the ace asked carefully, his hands stilling.

"Yes." Akaashi nodded firmly. He was as prepared as he was going to get.

"Okay." Bokuto inhaled nervously, pulling his hand out of his friend. "Do you want me to wear a condom?"

"I would appreciate it." The setter answered quietly, looking to the wall, feeling his face light up with embarrassment rather than arousal. He never thought he would be asked this question. He figured that this would be the best choice, considering that he wasn't exactly thrilled at the prospect of having to somehow get rid of his friend's fluids from inside him after all was said and done.

Bokuto reached to his bag, and after a moment of searching, pulled out his wallet, out of which he dug out a small, rectangular packaging. Having thrown his wallet back into the bag, he stared at the metallic pink wrapper for a brief moment. "I've never actually used one." He confessed slowly. He always carried one (despite not having a girlfriend, which was odd, now that he thought about it), but he never quite expected to use it so soon.

"But you know how to do it, right?" Akaashi asked, mildly concerned, sitting up on the bed.

"Yeah, don't worry." Bokuto flashed him an awkward smile, ripping the package open. After a moment of fumbling, he finally managed to wrap himself in the smooth latex. He watched his cock for a few seconds, before shifting his gaze to Akaashi sprawled on the sheets. "It's weird, realizing that we're actually gonna do it." He half-smiled in the setter's general direction.

"We don't have to if you don't want to." Akaashi frowned. He wasn't going to force him to do it if he wasn't absolutely convinced.

"No, I want to." He rubbed his neck nervously. "But it's just a little funny thinking that we're close enough to fuck without any ulterior motives. Just pleasure, right?"

"Yes, just to feel good together." Akaashi nodded.

"Okay." Bokuto smiled his easy-going grin again. "I'm happy that it's you."

Akaashi blushed at that one, lowering himself to the bed once more so that he lay on his back. "Me too."

Bokuto leaned over him, supporting his weight with one arm pressed into the mattress just off to Akaashi's side and flashed him an awkward smile as he hovered his cock just above his ass. He was about to fuck his best friend. It was surreal, the whole thing, but he was aroused and he wanted it, and _Akaashi_ wanted it, even if it seemed completely insane.

"Go ahead." The setter closed his eyes, bracing himself for the foreign sensation.

Bokuto guided his cock to Akaashi's entrance and pushed the tip in slowly. Akaashi's breath was heavy, but even, as he felt the unfamiliar warmth entering him. Then, without a warning Bokuto buried himself deeper in him, causing a sharp cry as Akaashi found himself overwhelmed by the intrusion, the sudden feeling of fullness. "Sorry." Bokuto panted out, and the setter only shook his head, gently stroking down his arm to tell him that he was fine.

Bokuto didn't move any further, only allowed himself to breathe in and out, his eyes closed and hands digging into the bed on both sides of Akaashi. He had no idea that the slick heat that he found himself in would feel _so_ good. He felt that if he were to move now, he wouldn't be able to stop, regardless of his friend's feelings. So he waited, allowed his breath to calm a little. A moment later, he could feel Akaashi's fingers on the top of his palm, gingerly gripping at his hand.

He opened his eyes only to see the face of his friend flushed with arousal, his half-lidded eyes gentle, but restless from lust, his expression on the verge between pain and pleasure. And then he _saw_ his face and how incredibly beautiful he was with the soft lighting of his bedside lamp and the sweat beading on his forehead and the smile which Bokuto couldn't see, but could _feel_ and felt it deeply in his chest. And he realized that they had never been closer, but it wasn't the sex, but the simple closeness that made him realize how much he adored his friend, and how he'd be happy only to look at him now, how at that moment their genitals hardly mattered, that in that one instant he was truly happy to be with him that way.

Akaashi slowly raised his hand to Bokuto's cheek and gently ran his thumb over his lips. And Bokuto knew that he felt the same. He leaned in and pressed a soft, chaste kiss into his lips, the first, perhaps the only kiss that he had ever meant in his short 17-year-old life. He felt that Akaashi's thoughts weren't far off from his own.

Once they parted, it was as though the spell broke, and they watched each other in an all but awkward silence. Only when one of them spoke did they get back into the heat of the moment.

"Is… Is it all in?" Akaashi asked in a voice barely above a whisper as though someone was listening to them.

"Not yet." Bokuto shook his head, feeling that his friend was clenching too tightly for him to even attempt going further.

"Okay." Akaashi bit down on his lower lip lightly. "Put it all in."

"Are you sure?" the ace asked with mild concern. He didn't want to push his friend too far if it wasn't absolutely necessary or accidental.

Akaashi nodded vehemently before quietly adding: "I want to know how it feels."

"Okay." Bokuto smiled softly, feeling his friend relax his muscles, allowing him access. With a confident thrust, Bokuto buried himself entirely in the setter, and soon felt him tense again. Despite the haze of the pleasant heat, he quickly noticed Akaashi's spread legs rising from the bed and being pulled closer to his chest, Akaashi's knees practically digging into Bokuto's ribs. "You alright?"

"I'm fine." Akaashi panted, his legs now hovering by Bokuto's sides, his ass lifting off the bed and angling towards Bokuto. The setter rested his heels just above his friend's hips, helping him in maintaining his balance. He felt that the position would make it easier for both of them.

"How does it feel?" Bokuto asked nonchalantly, partly curious and partly genuinely worried.

"Good." Akaashi sighed, closing his eyes and focusing on the feeling of fullness inside him. It _did_ feel good, even if his body resisted the entry by contracting his muscles in all the wrong places. Luckily, the lube helped. The vision of taking another person so deeply inside of him helped a fair bit as well. He swayed his hips a little to remind himself of the presence inside him and all but felt the arousal surging through him as he took a moment to appreciate Bokuto's size.

"Do you want me to move yet?" Bokuto asked, the concern in his voice now replaced by something soft and smiley. Lightheartedness, excitement, playfulness; Akaashi felt that either of these words would describe it well.

"Yeah." Akaashi kept his eyes closed, which Bokuto didn't actually mind – being watched would only put him under more pressure. He slightly pulled his hips back, closely observing his friend before taking his time in pressing deeper into him again. Akaashi's voice seeped slightly into his breaths, but Bokuto concluded that he was fine so far. As gently as before, the ace began rocking his hips back and forth, to which Akaashi responded with a louder moan, pushing his ass into his friend, beginning to feel the mounting pleasure.

Bokuto told himself he would take it slowly but _fuck_ , Akaashi was making it really difficult. Attempting to move in time with him was too much of an invitation for Bokuto to disregard. With the last bits of patience, he pulled away further and then rammed back in with considerable force. Akaashi whimpered, grabbing at the sheets. Bokuto didn't notice at first, but as he listened closely now, he could hear Akaashi half-consciously repeating the word 'yes' over and over in a choked up, needy whisper. Encouraged, Bokuto repeated the process, pulling out almost halfway then pushing back in, then again, _out and in_ all in increasing speed that turned his friend into a high-pitched mess. Akaashi found it hard to breathe in between all the moaning. It hurt, if he had to be honest, the stretch and the friction stung quite a bit, but Bokuto successfully rubbed against the best spot with each thrust and Akaashi felt that the pain paled in comparison to the pleasure. And _God,_ did it feel good.

Bokuto would have to agree there – all of it was all sorts of amazing in that indescribable way that made him forget about his sore muscles, about the somewhat uncomfortable position, and about the rest of the world as he heard his blood rushing through his ears and felt the heat resonating in his chest and pooling in his abdomen. Bokuto could swear that he was just about overstimulated, the pleasure of the heat and the slick tightness sliding into his body with every little movement. He concluded that _fucking someone seriously felt good_ which was probably a long-overdue discovery and a pretty redundant one (one that would certainly earn him a 'no shit, Sherlock' from Kuroo later on), but he felt he finally understood its actual appeal. Because it gave him _so much_ more than jerking off ever could.

Only after a moment did he notice that he was hearing a stream of desperate little cries somewhere in front of him, and only another moment later did he realize that the voice belonged to him and that the moans and his own heavy breath were probably his best shot at making the moment last longer. Akaashi's insides felt too good, sending shivers down his entire body, causing him to slow down again because taking in so much all at once would probably make him implode from all the sensation. Akaashi on the other hand, kept his eyes shut tighter, his teeth biting into the back of one of his hands in an attempt to stifle his helpless moans, his other hand pumping his cock in a heated daze.

Bokuto suddenly felt how close he was and how much he wanted to come, and allowed himself to forget about his better judgement and rocked into Akaashi with all the energy he had left. The setter only took a couple more strokes before nearly every muscle in his body tightened and he climaxed, practically sobbing from the pleasure. Bokuto felt him tighten around him, but he kept thrusting erratically and losing his rhythm and before he knew he was coming so hard that his vision went dark and he held his breath.

Powerless, his arms finally gave way and he fell flat onto Akaashi, knocking the breath out of his lungs, unintentionally prolonging his breathless bliss. Slow and heavy, Bokuto's hands moved to embrace Akaashi. He brought his panting lips close to his friend's ear and spoke, still feeling his orgasm echoing within him. "I love you." He pronounced, breathy and tired and satisfied.

Akaashi stiffened for a moment, before relaxing again and cradling Bokuto's head, stroking through his hair gently, as best as his weakened arms allowed him. "I love you, too." He agreed, pressing his lips into his temples.

They lay there for some time – anywhere between seconds and minutes, basking in the post-coital glow, clinging to the fading pleasure of the climax, allowing their breaths to calm and appreciating one another's heat. Akaashi's fingers tenderly drew random patterns down Bokuto's back, his other hand slowly stroking his cheek. The latter, his face hidden in the crook of Akaashi's neck, only held him closer every so often.

Finally, Akaashi sighed. "Bokuto-san." He whispered, his lips close to his friend's ear. "I want to go to the bathroom."

"Okay." Bokuto replied, barely lifting his head. Akaashi could hear the grin in his voice.

"I can't go if you're lying on me." The setter explained quickly.

Bokuto chuckled, turning his neck to look at his friend as he rolled off of his body and onto the sheets. "Sorry." He said, now lying on his side and not looking very sorry at all with his large smile.

"That's alright." Akaashi assured, allowing himself a small, understanding smile. Akaashi felt that it took little effort after all. Bokuto needed a moment to process the current situation: Akaashi plus smiling. Akaashi _smiling_ , even if it was small and shy, even if the corners of his lips crooked up just a small bit more than usual, it was _true_ , and Bokuto thought that it was absolutely beautiful. He felt his heart beat a little harder in his chest, an unfamiliar flutter passing through his stomach. He leaned in for a kiss before his friend marched off to the bathroom, still naked, unashamed of his shapely features. Bokuto fell face first onto the pillow, slid his arms underneath and pressed it close. He had rarely, if ever, been as happy as he was now.

Akaashi entered the bathroom, immediately seeing his unusual joy reflected in the mirror contrasted with the used condom in his hand. Or perhaps the wet piece of latex _highlighted_ his current mood? He couldn't quite tell. He shook his head and tied a knot at its end. He stepped on the pedal of his trash can and was about to throw it away before he realized that leaving physical evidence was not the brightest idea. His mom was the one to usually take out the trash, and she didn't exactly go diving into every black plastic bag that held their garbage, but he _did_ share the bathroom with his parents and this move seemed risky to say the least. If they did find it by some terrible coincidence, they'd be ready to assume that he brought girls home when they were away. They wouldn't be entirely wrong, except for the fact that he brought a boy home and the semen wasn't even his. That was a turn of events that neither him nor his parents could have predicted.

He turned to the toilet, frowned deeply and threw the condom into the water, quickly flushing before he could feel too guilty. He figured that he was breaking most rules of basic toilet usage in modern society, but he hoped that the sewers would be forgiving. This was one potential awkward conversation that he wanted to avoid, no matter what.

Once the deed was done, he took a quick rinse in the shower, washing off the sweat, lube and all the other bodily fluids that still clung to him. Having dried himself, he tied a towel around his waist and headed back to his room, ready to find Bokuto asleep.

Bokuto wasn't asleep. He stood by his bag in his slacks, pushing one arm through the sleeve of his white school shirt. He was facing away from Akaashi, slowly beginning to fasten the buttons.

"Are you leaving already, Bokuto-san?" Akaashi asked cautiously, finding his friend's behavior uncanny to say the least. He was supposed to stay over. There was no reason for him to dress into his uniform anymore.

That was when Bokuto turned to him. His face was red, his eyes squinting and wet. His lips formed a tight line, a pained frown as he shook his head a few times. He wasn't answering the question. He shook his head in a sign of defeat, of helplessness. Of an apology. "I'm sorry." He spoke quietly, his voice trembling.

"I'm sorry." He repeated and it was all but a sob now.

Akaashi felt his heart stop. "It's okay." He began softly, taking a step towards Bokuto. "There's nothing to be sorry for." He assured.

"It's not okay." Bokuto shook his head violently now. "I shouldn't have said that. I'm such an idiot." Tears ran down his cheeks as he clutched at his hair with one hand, as though he was about to tear it out.

Akaashi didn't know what Bokuto could have said that upset him so much. And then he got an idea. "You mean saying that you lov-"

"Shut up!" he yelled for a moment, before his voice returned to its weak, broken state. "Don't say it. Don't remind me. I'm so stupid."

Akaashi felt a terrible pain stir in his chest. He wished he was wrong. "You're not, Bokuto-san. It's okay. You just said it in the heat of the moment. It's not-"

"Yeah, I wish that's what it was." Bokuto's lips twisted and it was easily the saddest smile that Akaashi had ever seen. "Akaashi, I… I meant it." He sobbed.

"That's okay, too." Akaashi began to realize how hard it was to speak with a lump in his throat. "That's also perfectly-"

"No, it's not okay." Bokuto spoke firmly despite the tears. He was cutting Akaashi off more than usual. That was not a good sign. "It's not okay. You said it yourself…" He paused for a moment, swallowing a sob. " 'I love you' makes all the difference."

He did say it. "Bokuto-san, that's-" he didn't have a counter argument ready for that one.

"Your own words." Bokuto spoke, and it wasn't just self-pity and regret now. There was anger.

Akaashi wished he had never said that. "I didn't mean-" His voice shook.

"That's right. You didn't mean it." Bokuto shook his head. He was crying, but his voice turned into an accusation. "You never mean anything. You didn't mean the 'I love you' you said just a moment ago either, did you?"

"No, that's not-" Akaashi shook his head now and he felt the prickle of tears threatening to well in his eyes. He felt the anger too. He was furious at himself for not being able to find the right words at the most desperate of times.

"Yes, that's _exactly_ how it is. So I'm sorry," Bokuto's voice was his pitiful almost-sobbing again. The rage faded, quickly replaced by grief. "I'm sorry that I got you involved in all of this."

Akaashi could only shake his head in disbelief. He didn't even know where to begin.

"None of this should have happened." Bokuto went on, his voice shaky, his eyes red from the incessant crying. "We should have just stayed friends, teammates. I should have never suggested any of this. That would have been better."

Akaashi felt like his chest was about to burst. He wished he could say something and fix all of this.

"Because now…" his voice broke and he swallowed, trying his best to get it all out. "It's over."

"And I'm just really sad because…" he took a deep breath. "I really liked you. And I'm sorry to lose a friend as good as you."

Akaashi blinked and felt that he could no longer stop the tears from overflowing. He clenched his jaw. This wasn't something words could fix.

"So I'm sorry, Akaashi." He closed his eyes and bit his lower lip, forcing his pathetic, wet, shaky voice to cooperate. "This is a goodbye."

Bokuto threw his jacket on his back, grabbed his bag and stepped towards the door. Akaashi took a deep breath. He would try one last time. "Bokuto-san, please," His voice was quiet and weak, but his words were clear. "Please calm down and let's just talk this over."

"There's nothing to talk about." Bokuto argued firmly, despite the sob pushing at his throat. "I'm sorry."

He tried to pass him, and Akaashi impulsively reached out and grabbed his wrist. Bokuto immediately pulled his hand away with full force. "Don't touch me!" he cried in fury, glaring at his teammate with the most hateful gaze that Akaashi had ever witnessed. Then suddenly his eyes softened, he opened his mouth and looked away, shaking his head once more. As though he understood that he was being unfair.

Bokuto spoke quietly, the tears audible in his voice. "Just let me go."

With that, he left the room. Akaashi stood frozen, watching the spot where Bokuto stood a moment ago. He heard the front door slamming shut a moment later. He dropped to his knees, then to his forearms, pressing his forehead into the carpet. His entire body shook as he felt his tears burn trails down his face. He finally stilled, his hands in fists, his mouth open. He let one sob pass through his lips, and it was as though he had opened the floodgates, letting all the other ones out. And he screamed. A long, indiscernible, almost inhuman roar. The sobs followed suite.

Akaashi hardly ever cried. Perhaps once in a while, he got teary-eyed while watching a movie, or when dealing with everything became a little difficult to bear. But he didn't cry, not really. He just wiped his eyes, blew his nose and got back to issues at hand. But _this_. He hadn't done this since he had broken a leg in middle school. And then he was crying because of a physical injury.

Now, there was no wound. And yet he felt that his chest hurt more than his broken bones ever did.

Soon his face was wet and his voice hoarse, and he couldn't catch his breath. He covered his eyes with his hands and forced himself to take deep breaths. Breathe in, breathe out. He could hear his breath shake and he felt like he could start weeping all over again. He finally sat up, his lungs calmer, but his chest still tight. He looked around the room in which Bokuto had smiled and laughed just a moment ago and shook his head with a wince. The room he had just stormed out of. How could he have allowed it to come to that?

It had been so long since Bokuto's last breakdown. Akaashi felt that he should have predicted that such a huge high would bring about a devastating low. For the first time, Bokuto wasn't the only devastated one. Akaashi took a deep breath. It didn't help.

It wasn't the first time that Bokuto yelled at him. It wasn't the first time that Bokuto cried in front of him. And it wasn't the first time that Bokuto had walked out on him either. But on all occasions, he allowed Akaashi to finally come closer, to firmly stroke his arm or his back and to tell him something reassuring, or simply something that would lift his spirit. It was different now. Akaashi had never seen him so inconsolable. Never had he not known the right thing to say. Never had he stood there like an idiot to let the worst scenario play out. But this was nothing like what they had experienced before either.

_I meant it,_ Akaashi heard the words in his head and felt his eyes sting again. He rubbed his closed eyelids and sighed.

When Bokuto cried and refused to listen to him on other occasions Akaashi would just wait for him to calm down and sort it out then. When Bokuto ran out of the room, he would wait until he came back. Bokuto always came back. No matter how upset he was, he wanted Akaashi to make it all better (which the setter always did). But he wasn't coming back now. Akaashi knew that he wouldn't come back. On all other times, Bokuto ran to escape his problems and went to the person that could help him.

Now, Bokuto's problem was Akaashi.

He stifled a sob and reached for a bottle of water. Just when he thought it was impossible, the realization only worsened the pain in his chest.

He decided that for once he would do something very unlike himself. He quickly dressed himself, threw his phone and wallet in his pockets, locked up the house and ran. He ran with all the strength he could muster, quickly slowing down and panting. But he kept a fair pace, and he ran until he reached the train station. He remembered by which station Bokuto lived and how to get there.

For the first time, Akaashi was the one running to Bokuto.

He wouldn't leave it like this.

He wouldn't leave _him_ like this.

He would find some solution and fix the bonds they had just broken.

He wouldn't give up.

But that was easy to say. On the train, he stood facing the wall, despite the small amount of people in the car. He was tearing up again. It all felt like too much for him after all.

This was the first time he cried in public.

Akaashi had once heard some girls saying that first times had to be painful.

Only now did he realize how true it was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel a bit cruel ending it there, but...
> 
> I never said I wasn't cruel. >:D
> 
> So, we're finally at that long-awaited moment, and honestly it was a bit scary getting to it because I really wanted to get it right. I really hope I managed! But please leave me your thoughts in the comments because I really need to know how you felt. ^^
> 
> Thank you for reading and following the story, for always leaving me lovely feedback which really means the world to me and just for being here. It's been over 50,000 words now and just knowing that you made it this far makes me incredibly happy. <3
> 
> I hope to see you there on chapter 7~


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here it is! As promised, coming just a week after the last chapter. I mean, late by one day but I'll count that anyway.
> 
> It's shorter than my usual chapters (5k instead of a 9k), but I think that it's just right for this part of the fic.
> 
> I'll be back to full-length chapters starting from the next one though, so no worries!
> 
> As always, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy. ^^

Akaashi wondered if some mystical force was now punishing him for not crying all these years. As though he had built up a huge debt and his body was making him pay it all back to the last tear, completely ignoring his surroundings.

He held his voice back on the train. He couldn't quite stop the tears though.

When he finally reached his destination, he wiped his eyes and followed the path by which Bokuto had taken him to his house. He felt that it was practically a miracle that he remembered the way. He had only been there once after all.

But finding Bokuto's apartment in the large complex? That didn't come as easily. He only finally located it after asking one of the nearby residents for the way. They couldn't quite refuse to help a crying high school kid looking for his friend. Even if he wiped his eyes, they were still red and swollen. Akaashi remembered why he was so insistent on not-crying for so long. He hated how weak he looked and how people took pity on him. It wasn't worth it, not by a long shot. Akaashi hated how a natural physical reaction made him feel so helpless.

Once he arrived on Bokuto's doorstep, he waited for the longest time to press the doorbell. He simply stood there for a few minutes, feeling the cool air blow through his jacket and dry his wet cheeks. He didn't know what he would say. He came all this way to solve the issues between Bokuto and himself and he didn't even have a plan. He didn't even know where he would begin. This was a first. _Another_ first that evening, he thought.

He raised his hand, then stilled it, stopping his fingers a few centimeters away from the button. Bokuto didn't want him there, he realized. He ran off because he didn't want to be anywhere near him. For a moment, Akaashi thought of turning away and leaving. Forcing Bokuto to reconcile with him would most likely have the opposite effect. Akaashi realized very well that matters like this one could not be achieved by force. He almost felt like it would be better to just let both of them calm down and return to the issue the following day.

But he remained standing in front of Bokuto's door, his hand still extended. Because even if it would be _reasonable_ to just walk away and come back when both of them figured it all out, he didn't want to do it. Bokuto could do so many things and come to so many conclusions in short periods of time, that leaving him to his thoughts for so long could permanently ruin the relations they had managed to build up. Because once Bokuto settled on something, changing his mind would be difficult beyond belief. It was time to strike the iron while it was hot. Even if he could get burnt in the process.

He finally pressed the doorbell and heard its muffled ring from behind the door. A few dreadfully long seconds followed. Akaashi wouldn't know what to do if it turned out that Bokuto never came home or if his mother was there. He all but prayed for him to open the door.

Finally, the knob fell and the door was pushed open. Bokuto stood behind it. His eyes were red and swollen. Not much seemed to have changed since he ran away from Akaashi.

"Go home, Akaashi." He pronounced quietly, looking down at his feet.

"No." The setter refused, stepping closer. "We need to talk."

"No." Bokuto shook his head, his words firmer now. "I need some time alone."

"If we fix this now then you won't need time alone." Akaashi raised his voice, all but clenching his teeth at all the consonants. He never spoke like this. But he had never been so serious about anything either. It was almost scary, realizing how much all of this mattered to him.

"You _do not_ get to decide what I need and when I need it." Bokuto yelled now. "So goodbye."

He grabbed the handle and slammed the door closed. Almost closed. Akaashi's leg got in the way and the heavy door locked the limb in place, the steel ramming into the flesh of his shin. He yelped in pain and shock. And then he realized he wasn't the only one crying out. Bokuto immediately opened the door and covered his mouth with his hands.

"Oh, God, I'm so sorry." Tears welled in his eyes and his face gained color as he panicked. "I'm so so sorry. I didn't mean it. I swear. I didn't know that… God, I'm so sorry."

Akaashi only crouched and felt his shin through his trousers. It hurt, but there was no blood. It didn't feel broken. By some stroke of luck, he might have been fine. Bokuto's strength and the momentum of the heavy door could have easily crushed his bones. He thanked the gods that this unfortunate accident wouldn't cause him serious consequences. So far, this seemed like the best part of his day. That thought and the stinging in his leg brought tears to his eyes again.

"So, will you let me in or will we just keep on unintentionally hurting each other?" Akaashi asked, his voice softer now, pained in more ways than one.

"Come." Bokuto said and pulled him to his feet, still feeling terrible, but understanding that what he would hear in a moment wouldn't pleasant, and could potentially make him feel worse. But he couldn't leave Akaashi there. Not after he had so stupidly hurt him.

Akaashi walked into the entryway, managing not to limp, so as not to worry his friend more. Bokuto was plenty worried on his own.

"I'm really sorry." Bokuto pronounced, choking back the tears. "I really didn't do it on purpose."

"I know." Akaashi assured. "It's alright. You didn't see that my leg was there, right?"

Bokuto shook his head vehemently, covering his eyes with his hand. "What have I done…"

"It's okay." Akaashi spoke softly, taking a step and bringing his arms around Bokuto's large frame. His body was stiff and he didn't hug him back. But at least he didn't pull away. That was progress. "You didn't mean to hurt me."

"But I did hurt you." Bokuto wept just above Akaashi's head. "God, I'm a piece of shit."

"That's not true at all, Bokuto-san." Akaashi insisted.

Bokuto was silent for a long time. Then he spoke. His body was absolutely still. His voice was morbidly serious. "Akaashi, I'll quit the team. I won't meet up with you anymore. I won't eat lunch with you anymore. I'd transfer to a different school but I should probably just finish my last year here. But I won't get in your way for the remaining months. It'll be like I'm not there. And then, when you become a third-year, I'll disappear for good. You won't ever have to deal with me again."

"Don't say that. Where did this come from?" Akaashi felt that he was on the verge of crying and he didn't stop himself this time. That could only make things harder. "Is it because of the leg?"

He felt that his leg wasn't the real reason at all. But it could make for a great excuse for Bokuto, if he chose to use it.

"No." He admitted. "But this will be for the best."

"How?!" Akaashi stepped back and watched his friend's somber features in helpless anger. "How will that help anything?"

"You won't have to spend time with your gross ex-best friend." Bokuto explained, as though it should have been obvious. "Won't that be great?"

Akaashi didn't know where to begin. But this time, he wouldn't remain silent. "You're not gross. Never, not a single time did I _ever_ think you were gross." He spoke firmly, his voice raised again.

"How else would you call telling your friend that you love him?" Bokuto flashed a bitter smile, his eyes filling with tears again.

"There's _nothing_ gross about that. Nothing." Akaashi argued, feeling how hoarse his voice still was when he spoke louder, a pitiful reminder of all the bawling he had performed at home. "How can I say that it's gross when I also love you?"

"Don't give me that bullshit, Akaashi." He was almost screaming now. "You don't mean any of that."

"Why shouldn't I mean it?!" Akaashi yelled now despite the damage to his voice. "Why would I ever say _anything_ that serious without meaning it?"

Bokuto smirked at that one. It was a knowing, menacing smirk. "Does it make you happy, Akaashi? Leading me on, telling me what I want to hear? Or do you just do it because it's convenient?"

Akaashi only now noticed the tears streaming down his friend's flushed cheeks. The pain in his chest which previously eased, now returned, twofold as strong. "I don't know what you mean by that." He shook his head, having a hunch that he did really know. He didn't want it to be true.

"I think you do. You do it all the time." Bokuto swallowed a sob. His tone was accusatory, but more than anything, he sounded profoundly sad. Betrayed, almost. "You always know what to say to make me feel a certain way. You always know what to do. You just made this nice list of actions which you automatically use to respond to my behavior. And you say a lot of nice things, the things I want to hear. Sometimes you're also harsh, at the moments when you know it will help. You always know how to act. And just today I realized that you never mean any of it. You just do it because it's convenient. So I'm sorry, but your 'I love you' doesn't mean shit."

Akaashi always thought that Bokuto never noticed. Not that he was too stupid to notice, just too distracted, too focused on himself and his own issues to notice. Because Akaashi did indeed create a system which he used to choose the best approach to Bokuto's mood swings. But he had always meant every single word of praise that he said, and all of his criticism too. But that one specific thing he had said had nothing to do with his system. He meant it, and meant it on an entirely different level.

"How can you say that?" Akaashi shook his head. He couldn't even get angry at Bokuto's misunderstanding. He was simply crying now, his features wrinkling in unhidden hurt. "Why do _you_ get to decide what I mean and what I don't mean?"

"That's just how it is. I also wish it wasn't true." Akaashi could hear that Bokuto was crying as well. As though he had a reason to cry. As though _he_ was the one who was just told that his confession wasn't worth anything. "But that's just what I'm seeing here."

"But how?" Akaashi swallowed, still incapable of collecting himself. "What makes you think so?"

"Remember Wednesday in the restroom? You were so insistent on saying that we were just friends, that what we did didn't really mean anything. You said that all we did, we did because of friendship and not love, you _assured_ me that we did everything as friends. And yet, now you claim to love me? Then you either didn't mean what you said back there or you don't mean what you're saying now. And I don't know which one's worse." Bokuto's breath quivered and his voice shook as he spoke.

Akaashi's gaze dropped to the floor, his head falling forward, so that Bokuto couldn't quite see his expression. His hands tightened into fists. "What if I meant both?" His voice was firm and even now, raised once more and clearly upset. "Maybe I also contradict myself sometimes."

"So how am I supposed to understand that?" Bokuto asked helplessly.

Akaashi's hands forcefully grabbed the fabric of Bokuto's shirt in an instant, pulling him closer. He kept his eyes on the floor. "That maybe I don't always have all the answers." He spoke, clenching his teeth, his fingers digging into the material and brushing against his friend's skin on its other side. "Maybe I don't know everything." A sob fell from his lips, and so did his temporary composure as he burst into tears once more. "Maybe there are things that I don't understand. Maybe there are things I can't help. Maybe I can't always be the bigger person. Maybe I'm not this perfect human being that you think I am." He loosened his grip and let his forehead rest against Bokuto's chest as tears slowly dripped down his cheeks. "Maybe I'm just a simple high school kid who's trying to figure out his feelings for his best friend, who's quickly becoming more than that. Maybe, just maybe, I'm just as confused as you are and maybe I would appreciate if you didn't brush me off like what I say has no value."

"Akaashi…" Bokuto attempted to begin, his hands gently holding his friend's arms.

"For God's sake, Bokuto-san, I'm just seventeen." Akaashi cried, shaking his head into Bokuto's chest. "You expect too much of me."

"Okay. I'm sorry." Bokuto whispered, his voice pained as he brought his arms around Akaashi and held him close. Akaashi's arms were wrapped around his friend's waist in no time. They were both crying, their shaky breaths betraying what their eyes couldn't currently see. "I'm being unreasonable, I'm sorry. It's not your fault. Please don't be angry."

Akaashi wasn't angry. But it was too much for him. That, he couldn't deny. "I'm fine. Just overwhelmed." He explained quietly, his voice still wet and unstable.

"Then what am I supposed to say?" Bokuto forced a chuckle and Akaashi squeezed him tighter. He wanted him to know that he could relax, that he didn't have to put on his cheerful façade. Bokuto released a sob before continuing. "I discover that I might be in love with my best friend and I completely don't get it because I've always liked girls and all of this is so sudden but I'm also happy to be with you and I know that I love you and I want to be close to you but I have no idea if you even feel the same and I mean, you're a guy and guys don't usually like other guys and this is just hard on so many levels because you just wake up one day and realize that what you thought you always knew about yourself isn't true anymore and how do I even begin to understand myself now and I mean, if we want to be together then no one will understand and our parents might be mad and make us break up or something and I don't want that. Why can't I be in love with you and still be normal? Why does everything have to change? Why can't two people love each other without all the extra bullshit?"

"I don't know, Bokuto-san." Akaashi sighed, wiping his eyes on his friend's shoulder. "But I do know that I love you."

A wave of sobs crashed into Bokuto as he held his friend tighter, his body shaking violently as he tried and failed to somehow calm or contain himself. "I believe you." He finally choked out.

"Okay." Akaashi sighed, feeling his prickling eyes finally cool a little. He took a deep breath, feeling that they survived the worst. His hand began slowly stroking down Bokuto's back. "Don't cry, Bokuto-san. It's alright. We're alright."

Once Bokuto could finally catch his breath and his tears weren't flowing down his cheeks as intensely as before, Akaashi gently ran his hand through his hair and asked softly. "So what would you like to do now?"

"What do you mean?" Bokuto sniffled back.

"Would you like us to… date?" He asked cautiously. He wasn't sure if Bokuto was ready for this straightforward approach. "It doesn't have to be anything serious. We can just try it out and see if we like it."

"But… if one day we break up, will you hate me?" Bokuto asked, his voice shaky once more.

"I'll never hate you, I promise." Akaashi assured. "The worst that can happen is that we'll return to being friends. Not _bros_ , considering the obvious connotation, but friends."

"Okay." Bokuto inhaled. "Okay, let's try dating."

"Okay." Akaashi nodded. "I'm happy."

"Me too." He heard Bokuto grin and knew that it wasn't faked. "Do you want to go to my room? Just to lay on the bed and talk for a bit?"

"Sure, that'd be great." After all the running and standing and door accidents Akaashi could really use some rest in the horizontal position.

They were soon laying on the bed, side by side, facing the ceiling and letting their palms shyly find one another, Akaashi intertwining his fingers with Bokuto's. They were both blushing. Holding hands was a first. In an odd twist of irony, they found it far more embarrassing than anything they had done so far.

"Bokuto-san," Akaashi began. "About what I said in the home-ec restroom…"

"You don't have to explain yourself." Bokuto sighed. They had just wiped their eyes and noses. They didn't need to return to their devastating conversation from a few minutes ago.

"I want to. I want you to know." He insisted. "To be perfectly honest, I was always aware that what we were doing all this time was… uncommon for most straight boys. But I wanted to believe that we were just doing it as 'bros', that it was all just _bonding_ , just messing around, if you will, nothing serious. Because it felt good. I liked being with you that way. And I didn't want it to mean anything, to become serious because that could only complicate things. So I convinced myself that it was really just for fun, that it couldn't lead to anything greater. The moment you asked me if we were like those gay boys I immediately denied. I instinctively told you what I had been telling myself for these past few days. I didn't want you to think that we were more than just _bros bonding_. I… I had a feeling you wouldn't take to it well. And I didn't want you to suddenly feel bad about yourself or become insecure. I'm sorry if it felt like I was manipulating you."

"No, it's not that." Bokuto shook his head. "I actually appreciate you thinking about me so much. It sometimes really feels like you're my shield or my guardian or something." He chuckled and Akaashi loved the sound of his laugh, even if it was weak and scratchy after all the crying. "I just thought that meant that I had absolutely no chance with you because you thought that our relations were completely platonic."

"Well, I can certainly tell you that they're romantic now." Akaashi replied and felt Bokuto squeeze his hand gently. It felt good. A new sort of connection. It seemed that even those non-sexual ones could make his heart beat a little faster.

"But…" Bokuto began hesitantly. "Does that mean that now we're… gay?"

By the sound of it, he didn't much like the thought.

"We don't necessarily have to be gay." Akaashi spoke resolutely, staring into the ceiling as though he was reading his thoughts from it. "I mean, I'm the only male you've ever liked on this level, right?"

"Well, yeah, you're the only one." Bokuto nodded, pondering his friend's point. "So… are you saying that we're bi…?"

"Not even that." Akaashi shook his head firmly. "Maybe we're, I'm not sure how to put it… Special? We're just in love with one another and our sex is unimportant to our feelings. Because it's not like we're actually attracted to men, just to each other."

Bokuto glanced at him, his brows furrowing and forehead wrinkling. He didn't seem entirely convinced.

"Or not. It's just a theory." Akaashi sighed. "Or maybe I'm just comforting myself because this isn't as easy to accept as I'd like it to be."

"Well, I do like your theory." Bokuto turned his head and smiled. "It's really cute, I do think you're special, to me at least. But it just feels too simple, too convenient. It can't be that easy to come to terms with being gay."

He pronounced the last word softer than the previous part of the sentence. Immediate proof that coming to terms with it was indeed more difficult than it could seem as first.

"I'm not a fan of the label." Akaashi confessed. "It feels stifling. Like we're limited to liking only boys from now on. Can we just give ourselves some space for exploration and self-discovery without a predefined goal?"

"Sure." Bokuto grinned in response. "Not gay, not bi, just looking for ourselves."

"That does sound better. Less pressure for both of us." Akaashi nodded. "But do you mind if I referred to us as… boyfriends?"

Bokuto could swear that he felt the blood rushing to his cheeks. Boyfriends. _Us_. Now there was an _us_ and it wasn't just the two of them individually, there was also this third entity which combined both of them, which they would now come to use more and more often as they spent time together. The more he thought about it, the more Bokuto was excited to explore this new realm.

"No, that's fine." Bokuto agreed quietly. "We're boyfriends. I like the sound of that."

"Yes." Akaashi glanced at his ex-friend, now boyfriend and blushed at the thought of all the implications of that development. "So do I."

Bokuto wasted no time in leaning over and pressing his lips to Akaashi's. The setter wrapped his hands around his partner's back, the fingers of one hand lightly stroking down his neck and beneath the collar. Bokuto slipped his palm under Akaashi's head and allowed his thumb to softly run up and down his cheek as they kissed. It was a slow kiss, a relaxed one, one which highlighted how much they relished the peaceful moment after such a stressful day. After a little while they were lying side by side again, their foreheads now pressed together, their hands connected once more. Their eyes were closed.

Bokuto finally broke the silence, previously filled with nothing but their calm breaths. "Akaashi, can I be honest with you?" he began, clearly uneasy.

"I'd be rather sad if you were dishonest with me at this point." Akaashi admitted. "Just say it, I'm sure I'll be okay."

"I'm not sure if I love you." He finally pronounced softly, his voice apologetic. The setter felt his heart sink before Bokuto followed it up with an explanation. "I've never been in love with anyone. I don't know how it feels. Maybe I'm just, what's the word… infatuated? Maybe I just think I really like you but it's not actually love… I don't know, Akaashi. I'm sorry if I'm disappointing you, but you deserve to know."

"That's alright, Bokuto-san." Akaashi sighed with relief. "That's one of the things that we'll figure out as we go. No need to worry about it now."

"You're so understanding." Bokuto grinned, but there was some sort of a wet texture to his voice. "I love you so much."

Before Akaashi could realize what was happening, Bokuto began tearing up again. At first he was just sniffling, his eyes somewhat reddened, but soon he was all-out crying again, tears rolling down his cheeks and his voice getting caught up in sobs.

"I'm sorry I said all those awful things about you." Bokuto wept, covering his eyes with his hands. Of course. Akaashi knew that there must have been more to Bokuto's tears than just his extraordinary virtues of understanding and empathy. He began stroking down his arm, in hopes of calming him a little. It had little effect. "I'm so sorry I hit you with the door. That was so wrong. I don't deserve you. You shouldn't be dating a piece of trash like me."

That wasn't the end of Bokuto's self-loathing monologue, but Akaashi refused to listen to the rest of it. He pulled him close, held his head against his chest and kissed the top of his head before beginning to undo the unfair judgement that he laid upon himself. "That's not true, Bokuto-san." He whispered, softly running his hand down his back. "I think you're a wonderful person, even if you're a little impulsive at times. But making a mistake doesn't stop you from being great. Accidents happen to all of us, I don't blame you. Please don't cry, Bokuto-san. I love you the way you are; I wouldn't change anything at all about you. So please don't cry."

Bokuto only clung to him tighter, taking shaky breaths and staining his shirt with his tears. When he finally tried to speak, his words were almost incoherent sobs. "But… But…"

"Shh." Akaashi pronounced softly, stroking down Bokuto's back. "It's okay. I'm not upset. No need to cry. We're okay, Bokuto-san. We're okay."

It took Bokuto some time but he finally managed to calm down. He continued drawing shaky breaths now and again, his head still pressed fondly to his partner's chest, but he had stopped crying. Akaashi held him close in his arms, now and again drawing simple patterns on his back with his fingers. The gentle act relaxed him, and comforted Bokuto, bringing both of them the peace they needed.

Absentmindedly running his fingers through Bokuto's hair, Akaashi didn't notice the door to the room open.

"Koutarou, I'm home." His mom called through the open door to his bedroom. "I bought you those-" she fell silent the moment she noticed that her son wasn't alone.

Bokuto immediately rolled over to the other side of the bed, pretending that he was never lying so close to his friend. He covered his eyes with his hand. Akaashi quickly sat up, an explanation readied in his mind.

"Oh, Akaashi, you're here." Bokuto's mom observed, but it sounded far more like she was asking _why are you here?_ Akaashi happened to have an answer for the implied question.

"Good evening, ma'am." He first greeted her with a bow of the head. "Koutarou is having a tough day today, so I came over to make sure that he's alright. I'm doing my best to cheer him up, so you needn't worry."

"Alright." She smiled lightly, indulgently, the way Bokuto usually smiled when he was having a good day. "Take good care of him, okay?"

"I will, ma'am. Thank you." Akaashi nodded again, before Bokuto's mom closed the door and left them alone.

"Are you alright, Bokuto-san?" he asked softly.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Bokuto turned to him, his eyes swollen, but his lips slowly stretching into a tender smile. "You called me by my first name."

"I can't quite call you 'Bokuto' when you share your mother's last name." Akaashi shrugged. "It's like I'm referring to both you _and_ her at the same time and that's just incredibly awkward."

"Yeah, I know." Bokuto chuckled, his voice finally returning to its usual lightness. "But I like the way you say it. It sounds nice when it comes from your mouth."

Bokuto thought that if Kuroo would be listening to them, the phrase _it sounds nice when it comes from your mouth_ would immediately get a 'that's what she said' in response.

But Kuroo wasn't there, and Bokuto didn't want him there. Not now.

Now he got to spend some quality time alone with Akaashi, his boyfriend. The setter flashed him a small smile and quietly added: "I'm glad." before leaning in and stealing a quick kiss.

Bokuto could get used to this.

"But I would prefer to keep calling you 'Bokuto-san'." Akaashi insisted. He considered it quite an affectionate term, even if it didn't exactly sound like one.

"Call me whatever you want, I'll be happy just hearing your voice." Bokuto grinned. The funny thing was that Akaashi knew that this was true. His partner was easily excitable like that. He loved that part of him. He figured that the world would probably be a better place if people would be as easily pleased as Bokuto was. He decided that it was an even better place when Bokuto was one of the few individuals with such abilities and he was the one to witness most of his smiles. It felt like a blessing; there was something beautiful about that part of his partner and Akaashi was willing to deal with all the harder times if in the end he would get to see him like this. Bokuto's happiness was infectious – so much so that it even caught onto Akaashi. He could hardly complain.

They returning to lying on the bed, inconspicuously holding hands and speaking about every topic that came to mind. Some were completely silly and some were more serious but Bokuto didn't even come close to crying after his last outburst. It seemed that he was feeling better. And he genuinely was.

"Do you think we should tell others?" Akaashi asked at some point, feeling that they were stepping on safe ground.

"About us?" Bokuto sighed and stared into the ceiling, as though he could find the answer if he looked closely enough. "I don't think so."

"No one?" Akaashi wanted to make sure.

"Do you have anyone you trust enough?" the ace turned to face him.

"Maybe Kuroo-san?" Akaashi suggested, feeling like it should have been Bokuto who brought him up.

"Oh, right." Bokuto suddenly remembered of his other closest friend, whom he had accidentally ignored for the past few days. "Yeah, we can tell him. But no one else."

"Sounds good to me." The setter nodded. As much as they wanted to share their happiness with the world, that could only cause them unnecessary trouble considering their rather uncommon relationship.

"Though I wish we could just be open about it." Bokuto sighed. He didn't enjoy keeping secrets.

"I understand." Akaashi admitted. "But it's for the best. We must be careful if we want our lives to stay as they were."

"Yeah." Bokuto flashed him a sudden smile. "But we'll survive, as long as we're together."

Akaashi found himself blushing at the exceptionally cheesy line. He nodded anyway. It was sweet, even if absolutely clichéd.

* * *

 

They spent what felt like hours just exchanging random conversation before Akaashi looked to the clock in Bokuto's room and realized that he really must be going if he's hoping to catch the last train.

"Can't you stay for tonight?" Bokuto pleaded with a tearful frown.

"I really have to go; I can't leave the house empty for the entire night." Akaashi insisted. He couldn't be house-sitting when he wasn't even at home.

"Okay. That's fine." Bokuto said, looking to the ground, his pained expression a clear sign that it was not, in fact, fine. Akaashi sighed. He understood the sentiment.

"Bokuto-san, please," the setter cupped his cheeks and lifted his head just far enough so that he was looking at him. "I would also prefer to stay but I really can't. But we can meet tomorrow and do something nice to make up for it, okay?"

Bokuto blinked and averted his eyes. "Okay." He finally agreed. "But call me when you get home, okay?"

"That much shouldn't be a problem." Akaashi nodded, patting down his pockets to make sure that his wallet and phone were still there. "I'll even call in the morning."

"Yeah, that would be great." Bokuto finally smiled. Akaashi left a quick kiss on his lips – a sort of reward for being considerate.

"I love you." The ace added quietly as Akaashi made his way to the door.

"I love you, too, Bokuto-san." Akaashi replied, reaching out and squeezing his hand for the last time that night. "I'll see you tomorrow. Good night."

"Good night, Akaashi." Bokuto grinned as his partner waved him goodbye before opening the door and leaving.

Bokuto sighed and quickly fell back onto his bed.

It wasn't even a minute and he missed Akaashi's warmth next to him already.

He felt like he could burst into tears at any moment.

But instead, he reached for a bottle of green tea on his nightstand and took a large swig. He didn't want to cry when Akaashi wasn't there to comfort him. He didn't want to alert his mother either. He simply drowned his sorrows in tea until he felt like the need to cry had faded.

After that, he took a shower, changed into his pajamas and said goodnight to his parents. His mom only nodded in understanding. Her son rarely felt like eating or talking when he had a bad day. She could only give him the space he required.

He was about to go to sleep when he decided to do one last thing for the day.

He booted his laptop and went through the usual Facebook chat routine.

A few minutes later the Skype dialing sound rose from the small speakers.

"What's up?" Kuroo asked casually. Bokuto took a deep breath.

"Akaashi and I are now dating." He answered seriously, his eyes shut, afraid of his friend's reaction.

He heard the distinct noise of clapping and finally looked at the webcam image on the screen.

"Congratulations." Kuroo pronounced and Bokuto quickly noticed the joyful grin on his lips. "Took you long enough."

"I know." Bokuto chuckled, his eyes glazing over with happy tears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Somehow, this was a really tough week for me, but I'm glad that I managed to deliver the chapter in the end.
> 
> But updating once a week really kills me so please give me more time in the future. xD
> 
> Similarly to last week, the resolution this chapter was a really important part of the story so I'm a little afraid whether I did a good job, so please tell me your thoughts in the comments because they really mean a lot to me. ^^
> 
> As always, thank you for following, and I'm looking forward to seeing you in the upcoming chapters. <3 Thank you for all your support, I really wouldn't have been able to keep writing if it weren't for you.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heeey, it's here, and it didn't take me forever! :D
> 
> Although, once more, I was editing and uploading this while half-unconscious so I apologize if anything seems off.
> 
> I can't think of what else to add apart from the fact that this chapter is almost 10k words long and it's what I like calling "Horizontal Lines - The sequel".
> 
> As always, thank you for following this story. ^^ Nothing makes me happier than knowing that you want to keep reading what I create. Hope you will enjoy~

The following morning Akaashi pressed his face into his pillow with a sigh, feeling an unpleasant burn in his closed eyes.

He hadn't gotten much sleep the previous night. Thoughts of Bokuto, his _boyfriend_ , had clouded his mind and kept him awake for hours on end. They weren't particularly profound thoughts, usually random adjectives, images of his face and/or body and some bits and pieces of sentences, but their traffic in Akaashi's brain successfully prevented him from getting more than three hours of hard sleep, much less the healthy eight hours.

He finally opened his eyes, hearing birds chirping outside his window, and looked to his alarm clock. It was a little before half past eight am. He wasn't going to get any more sleep anyway. He rubbed his eyes and sat up on the bed. Moving his feet to the ground to stand up, he was quickly reminded of his injury and winced in pain. It hadn't hurt much the previous evening, but sleep always made him sore. He slowly limped to the bathroom to begin his daily routine, in hopes that the sting would quickly fade.

For once, his wish seemed to have been granted and the pain subsided until it was only a dull ache as he swung his leg back and forth while eating breakfast. Volleyball could be a challenge but perhaps his luck would carry over to Monday so that he could function properly during practice.

Having put on some loose sweatpants and a large t-shirt, he finally fulfilled his promise and called Bokuto.

"Hi!" The ace answered cheerfully, quite unlike his usual morning state. Akaashi figured out the reason for this change without the need to ask.

"Hello." He repeated politely, but with an audible smile. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah, it was okay." Akaashi could almost hear the shrug, and then quickly a warm grin. "I'd sleep better if I were with you."

"That's probably true for me as well." The setter agreed with a nod. "Would you like to come over now?"

"Sure, I'll be there in five." Bokuto declared.

"Um, Bokuto-san," Akaashi would have to rain on his parade a little. "I'm fairly certain that my house is more than five minutes away from yours."

"Oh, it sure is." Bokuto chuckled. "But I've been wandering around your neighborhood for like twenty minutes now, and I passed your house like twice already so it shouldn't be long until I'm there."

"I'm sorry, but you've been doing _what_?" Akaashi blinked, his voice betraying his disbelief.

"Yeah, okay, I know that sounds creepy but hear me out." Bokuto was quick to follow up with an explanation. "I woke up early and couldn't really go back to sleep and I figured that I'd be coming over anyway so I might as well get some fresh air and be there early. If you think about it, that way we can spend more time together."

Bokuto was right about that. All in all, Akaashi considered it pretty sweet, even if unexpected from the exact opposite of a morning person that was Bokuto.

"Alright. I'll be waiting then." Akaashi announced softly.

"I'll be right there." Bokuto promised and hang up.

And indeed, he was right there much sooner than Akaashi could have predicted. He only managed to make his bed and grab some juice from the fridge before he heard the ring of the doorbell.

"Hey." Bokuto smiled gently when he opened the door. With another step he was inside the house, the door closing behind him as he wrapped his arms around Akaashi and held him close. "I missed you." He whispered.

Akaashi relaxed into the embrace and reciprocated it, his hands around his partner's waist. _It's only been a few hours, Bokuto-san,_ he wanted to say and it was true and rational. But instead he went with: "I'm glad you're here." He could almost hear Bokuto smile at that. It seemed that their relationship would turn him into a huge softie. He didn't quite mind that as much as he thought he should.

They held each other for a few seconds before finally letting go. As he took off his shoes and left his jacket at the entrance, Bokuto kept sending smiles Akaashi's way and it was almost embarrassing to realize how much love there was in such a simple act. The setter softly lifted the corners of his lips in a shy reply. Bokuto seemed so overjoyed just by receiving so little that it was hard not to kiss him at that moment. So he didn't resist, and pulled him in a for a light greeting on his lips. Once they parted again, Bokuto was smiling so hard that Akaashi couldn't help blushing. He felt absolutely silly for it, but he figured that he couldn't help being weak to his boyfriend's charms at least for the first few days.

"So, what's the plan?" Bokuto finally expressed himself verbally, which was a pleasant change from all the smiles.

"We can go to my room." Having said this, Akaashi took a few steps down the corridor before he could stop himself from limping. This did not go unnoticed by Bokuto.

"How's your leg?" He asked with a clear frown and concern in his voice.

Akaashi only closed his eyes and sighed. Such an amateur mistake. "It's fine."

"Is it really?" Bokuto pressed on, and Akaashi knew that he couldn't wave it off. "Can I see it?"

The setter swallowed. "Only if you promise not to cry."

Bokuto held his breath for a moment. "Okay. I promise." He nodded.

Akaashi led him by the hand to the living room, where he sat on the couch and prompted his partner to do the same. He then rested his foot against the coffee table and lifted the leg of his sweats, only to reveal a white square-shaped dressing a few centimeters under his knee. It was at least seven by seven centimeters large, as far as Bokuto could tell. That meant at least one thing – there was a wound that needed to be treated under the dressing. Bokuto didn't like that thought.

"Did you see a doctor yet?" he asked, his features serious.

"I did. Last night, when I was coming home I managed to find a clinic that was still open and vacant." Akaashi nodded slowly, hoping that the truth would reassure his partner.

"What did you tell him?" Bokuto sat straight, looking at his hands.

"It was a she." Akaashi quickly corrected, then shrugged and continued. "That I had a fight with my friend and he tried to slam the door but my leg was right between the doorframe and the door, hence the injury. I said it was an accident. I also told her that I play high school volleyball and I would really like to get back to practice as soon as possible."

"Okay." Bokuto nodded calmly. "What was her diagnosis?"

"The bone isn't even fractured, but the sheer force of the impact will leave a large bruise that will probably hurt for a few days. A lot of busted capillaries. And, well…" Akaashi sighed, looking for the best way to tell him about the wound. "The door scraped some skin off. More than I assumed, actually, but it didn't start bleeding until later. That's why it's dressed now."

"Will you be able to play?" Bokuto asked softly, still not looking at his partner.

"Yes, of course, she said I should be fine." Akaashi affirmed. "I should just avoid falling on my knees for a week or so."

"Okay, good." Bokuto released a large exhale and finally turned to the setter. "So can I see it?"

Akaashi bit his lower lip. Bokuto wanted to see the wound directly. Akaashi gave the ace a hesitant look.

"I won't cry." Bokuto assured firmly.

Akaashi nodded. He looked to the coffee table beside them. He had left some antiseptic, gauze, and adhesive tape on the table the previous night when he was cleaning the leg and getting it ready for bed. He figured they might as well change the dressing now.

With one swift move Akaashi tore the old dressing off and crumpled it in his hand. The wound was now in plain sight and Bokuto studied it intently. The fresh dark red scab was a few centimeters long, no more than three centimeters wide and ran down Akaashi's shin in an uncomfortably neat diagonal. The skin around it had already turned into a swollen sort of blue and it hurt him just looking at it. Bokuto winced for a moment and Akaashi was ready to pull his leg away and hide it, but before he was given the chance, Bokuto was already reaching for the antiseptic and spraying it on the injury. A few instants later, the folded gauze was securely taped to his shin, protecting the vulnerable skin from the outside world.

"Akaashi." Bokuto prompted him to turn his attention to him. He was kneeling on the couch now, further away from Akaashi, before he bowed forward, pressing his hands and forehead into the cushions. "I sincerely apologize for my unacceptable behavior."

"N-No, that's alright, please get up, Bokuto-san." Akaashi insisted, flustered by the formal apology. Bokuto quickly rose to his previous position before scooting over to the setter, grabbing his hand and holding it dearly between both of his palms, gazing deeply into his eyes.

"I promise; it'll never happen again." He announced resolutely, in reference to the door accident. "I want to be a boyfriend you can be proud of."

Akaashi felt his lips tremble, a small knot in his throat. "I'm already proud of you." The setter whispered, leaning in and kissing the corner of his lips before bringing his hands around his large frame and embracing him with all the strength he could find.

Bokuto fell back onto the couch, Akaashi on top of him, his arms around his waist. When the setter looked up, he noticed that his partner was grinning, his eyes slightly glazed over. "I'm so happy you think so." Bokuto sniffled, his cheeks and eyes already growing red.

"No, no. No crying, Bokuto-san. You promised." Akaashi reminded him instantly.

"Okay." Bokuto chuckled, wiping his nose with the back of his hand. "No crying."

The next moment, he pressed his lips into Akaashi's forehead and simply smiled. Akaashi kissed him back on the lips. In an instant they were pulling each other closer, Bokuto holding Akaashi by his waist and the latter with his fingers gently weaved through the ace's hair. They captured and released each other's lips slowly, carefully, in a patient rhythm, allowing the simple pleasure to seep into their bodies and spread lower to their chest where their hearts already beat quicker, forcing their lungs to catch up. Akaashi hoped that Bokuto also felt that gentle flutter in his stomach that was part arousing and part gratifying on its own. Akaashi couldn't have known this, but Bokuto's thoughts had wandered in the same direction.

When they finally pulled away, they were breathless and Akaashi simply slumped to Bokuto's side, pressing him closer to the back cushion, holding onto him tightly so that both of them could fit on the couch (which was, after all, less wide than either of their beds). He nestled close to Bokuto, almost cheek to cheek, his arm thrown across his chest and his eyes closed. Only now did he realize how sleepy he was. This was the sort of peace that he couldn't get that night with his thoughts running laps with ridiculous obstacles. Now, with Bokuto's warmth so close, he could almost feel his consciousness fade.

He certainly felt his partner move, then lay down beside him again. Except that now they were covered with one of the warm blankets that were thrown across the couch for this exact purpose. Akaashi wouldn't know how a perfect laid-back Sunday would look like, but this probably came close. Sleep came quicker than he expected.

* * *

 

He probably hadn't slept for more than a few minutes when he felt Bokuto's body pressing into him. It took him a moment to realize that his partner seemed to be trying to lean out without disturbing him, which hadn't been very successful at all. He quickly concluded that Bokuto was trying to reach for something on the coffee table.

"Come on…" the ace whispered to himself. "Come on, you're so close now."

Akaashi suddenly realized who (or rather, what) he was talking to and couldn't help scoffing. "Bokuto-san, are you trying to encourage the TV remote to enter your hand?"

"Oh." Bokuto twitched a little, startled. "You're awake."

"Just a bit." Akaashi shrugged before a yawn split his lips as though to provide proof for his words. He reached behind him and delivered his partner the remote for which he was lusting. "Here you go."

"Thanks." Bokuto smiled and pressed a kiss to his cheek. He turned on the TV which sat right across from then, quickly turning down the volume so as not to bother his partner. Akaashi, to his surprise, turned around so that both of them faced the TV and Bokuto was spooning him half-heartedly. He flipped channels until he found something that wasn't an episode of a series that he had never seen or the middle of a movie, which ended up being one of the silly game shows, which were basically a guilty pleasure of anyone who had ever found one of TV.

He held Akaashi against him, fitting his legs into the bend of his knees, his hand still around his waist and his lips absentmindedly pressed against the back of his head. Akaashi felt Bokuto's chest shaking lightly as he laughed at the show and he even allowed himself to laugh along for a bit. Before long though, drowsiness hit him again and he couldn't keep his eyes open regardless of how funny the show was. The last thing he remembered before he fell asleep was the sound of Bokuto's lighthearted laughter. In a really embarrassing way, he found it to be the sweetest lullaby.

* * *

 

When he woke up the sun had shifted behind the window, now shyly entering the living room, inching towards the couch. The first thing Akaashi noticed was that the image on the TV had changed to some movie which he had probably seen at some point but couldn't really remember. The second thing he noticed was Bokuto's lips pressed softly into his cheek. The third thing was that the wound on his leg was throbbing lightly again. He moaned half-consciously, turning to his back to provide a more comfortable position for his injury.

"Ah, did I wake you up?" Bokuto lifted his head with a start.

"No, I woke up on my own." Akaashi assured, rubbing his eyes to make sure that the last bits of sleepiness were gone. "Did I sleep long?"

He looked to the time displayed on the TV and noted that it was well past eleven.

"Nah, maybe two hours." Bokuto shook his head before presenting his partner with a fond smile. "But it was fun just laying here with you like that."

"Sorry, watching TV with your unconscious boyfriend probably isn't your ideal vision of a weekend." Akaashi frowned lightly, feeling like his promise of making last night up to Bokuto wasn't going very well so far. "We should do something more… fun."

"What do you suggest then?" Bokuto smirked, his half-lidded eyes betraying a glint of challenge.

Akaashi didn't need another invitation.

He turned to face his partner, cupped his cheeks and without missing a beat pressed his lips to his. Bokuto seemed to agree with this idea of fun because he groaned in approval the moment Akaashi's hands ran over his hair and down his neck and their kiss went from simple pecking to open-mouthed and wanting. Their tongues met in Bokuto's mouth and Akaashi became acutely aware of his heartbeat pounding away in his chest, excited and aroused from the act. When Bokuto's hand slipped under the t-shirt, his fingers tracing his back he couldn't help softly moaning at the touch. As much as he loved simply spending time with Bokuto, being with him like this brought him an entirely new level of pleasure.

Akaashi's hand now circled around Bokuto's hips, feeling the bones and muscles under his fingers, their lips still reciprocating the nips and sucks laid upon them. Feeling unusually adventurous, the setter allowed his fingers to slip beneath the waistband of his partner's briefs, now slowly caressing one of his buttocks. He felt Bokuto slowing down the pace of his kisses, focusing on the touch, waiting for his partner's next move. But Akaashi simply kept his hand on his ass, stroking down it lightly, not intending to go further. Bokuto decided to take initiative, his hand now moving to his partner's thigh, then slowly working his way up until he could clearly feel his arousal, his fingers already moving to free it from confinement.

Akaashi broke the kiss in mild panic. "Not here." He explained, breathless. "If we make a mess and my parents find out, they'll kill me. Not to mention that they will forever think that I was using the time when they were away to jerk off in the living room, which is actually worse than death."

Bokuto only chuckled in response (as he was usually the one to use hyperboles between the two of them) before pressing a gentle kiss to his lips. "Okay then. Are we moving to your room?"

With another vigorous nod, they were off to Akaashi's bed, not bothering with taking their clothes off, simply hopping onto the mattress and continuing the passionate exchange of kisses. Within an instant, their waistbands were pulled down, their cocks finding their ways into each other's hands, their fingers fervently sliding back and forth on the hot flesh. Their heavy breathing prevented them from kissing now, so they only listened to the occasional moans spilling from their mouths, increasing the pace of their hands until Akaashi held his breath in climax, shortly followed by Bokuto's quiet whimper as he joined him in the orgasmic bliss.

"I love you." Akaashi whispered, nuzzling his nose with Bokuto's.

"I love you, too." Bokuto replied, a smile already growing on his lips, overjoyed from the fact that Akaashi had said it first, knowing that he meant it.

Akaashi felt like an orgasm after they became a couple should feel different to the ones from when they were simply messing around as friends, but he noticed that there was no big difference at all. Which was only proof that he had subconsciously considered their previous _bonding_ to be something more than that. He could feel it now – the fact that from the first time they saw each other this way, things had already changed, that their relations were more than just friendly. He kept it to himself. They had already figured as much, there was no great need to say it out loud once more.

They clung to each other immediately after the experience, allowing their shaken breaths to calm, their foreheads touching, their bodies returning to the peaceful satisfaction that came after all was done, when they could simply lay together and rest. Before either of them could notice, they were drifting to sleep, their consciousness slowly fading as they felt each other's warmth, feeling that they could stay like that forever.

* * *

 

Akaashi was the first one to wake, and did so with a start. They had fallen asleep as they were, sticky and clothed, without the least regard for the time. He quickly reached to his phone which lay on the night stand. He exhaled with relief when he noticed that it wasn't even two yet. It would still be a while until his parents came. There was nothing to worry about.

Except for lunch, perhaps.

Now that his fatigue from the mostly sleepless night had faded, Akaashi was ready to finally do something more amusing than simply laying around and kissing (although he couldn't deny that it was considerably entertaining on its own).

"Bokuto-san," he whispered, stroking down his partner's cheek. "Let's get up."

Bokuto only groaned incoherently with a clear wince. Akaashi's response to that was a gentle kiss on the lips. That finally encouraged his partner to open his eyes. The golden irises peeked at him through lazy half-opened eyelids, a small smile growing on his lips. "Hi there."

"Hi there, indeed." Akaashi repeated, the corners of his lips shyly etching their way up his cheeks. "Let's get up. It's almost lunch time."

"What are we having today?" Bokuto asked, a yawn escaping his lips.

Akaashi thought about all the food that he had at home this time and how much he didn't feel like cooking. "What do you say for some pizza?"

"Hells yeah." Bokuto fist pumped with a grin. "I'm always down for pizza."

Neither of them had many occasions to eat pizza these days; with their lives revolving around school and volleyball, going out somewhere was rare and ordering some in usually didn't cross their minds. Now that they finally had the chance, it felt almost like a celebration – Bokuto would have to say that crowning their relationship with pizza was the highest possible honor.

They phoned a nearby place with their order (large pizza, half vegetarian, half meat, and a bottle of cola to drown the meal in), which probably wasn't the healthiest choice for their sports diet, but if they didn't let loose once in a while and eat some junk food then there was no point in burning so many calories day by day, Bokuto argued. Akaashi only nodded in agreement, having hungered for some good old pizza for a longer while now.

"I didn't know you were vegetarian, though." Bokuto spoke as they sat on the couch, leaning against each other, waiting for the delivery.

"I'm not." Akaashi shook his head, thinking back to all the times Bokuto must have witnessed him eating meat during lunch. "I just like the vegetables in the topping. Besides, I was hoping I could have some of your meat slices, and you can have some of mine to add some variety."

"You'll have to fight me for the meat, I ain't giving it away for nothing." He declared with a smirk, a daring glimmer in his eyes.

Akaashi seemed to be receiving invitation after invitation today.

He would use them well.

Pulling Bokuto in for a kiss, he kept him distracted with his lips until the doorbell rang with the promised meal. They practically jumped off the couch, grabbing the readied money and sprinting for the door. Pizza always seemed to have this effect on people.

Bokuto ended up sharing his slices, but not without some more tomato sauce-flavored kisses. Having filled their stomachs to the brim with pizza and cola they ended up resting on the couch for a while, allowing their digestion to kick in and the mild nausea from eating too much to fade. Once he felt better, Akaashi stuffed the remaining slices into the fridge, already planning their dinner. Bokuto smiled at him from the couch, bringing his arm around him once he was sitting beside him again. Akaashi felt that he could get used to spending weekends this way.

* * *

 

The rest of the Sunday had been a rather calm one. After many impromptu make-out sessions while playing video games, watching TV and even getting their books out, the two finally decided to sit down and do their homework for the following day.

All but miraculously, they managed to do all the work they had assigned with only a few short make-out breaks, and even finished before Akaashi's parents came home, leaving them a few extra minutes of kissing.

Bokuto was leaving right as they returned. They exchanged greetings, Akaashi's parents glancing to one another in surprise, thinking that the captain of Fukurodani's volleyball team had never spent so much of his free time with their son.

Bokuto, for once, knew how to explain it. "We're helping each other study. He's helping me revise old material for entrance exams and I do what I can to support him with his classes too."

Akaashi's parents knew that Bokuto was never at the top of his grade, so he couldn't really bullshit too much about helping Akaashi with homework. But this much seemed to be enough. The two of them nodded with understanding, remembering that it would soon be time to apply to universities, and that Bokuto's chances of getting into a nice school would be slimmer without the extra help. In that case, it made sense for Bokuto-kun to spend his Sundays with Keiji, they agreed wordlessly. (In truth, Bokuto's options were quite open regardless of his grades, due to his sports scholarship. If anything would weigh on his university prospects, it would be the results of the upcoming tournament. However, Akaashi's parents could do perfectly fine without this information.)

Akaashi escorted Bokuto all the way to the front porch again, kissing him goodbye, hidden away from all the potentially curious eyes. There was something special about kissing out in the open air, while still remaining unseen by any uncomfortable witnesses – a certain unobstructed freedom that kept the fear of standing out in the crowd at bay, while still allowing them to feel normal. Maybe one day they wouldn't have to hide in the evening darkness simply to be who they were.

But for now, this was more than enough, bringing a large grin to Bokuto's lips and coaxing a small smile out of Akaashi.

"See you tomorrow." Bokuto called, slowing making his way to the road.

"See you tomorrow." Akaashi waved shyly.

Then, Bokuto turned to him for the last time and did something the setter couldn't have predicted.

He sent him a kiss over the few meters that separated them.

Akaashi replied with something equally unexpected.

He caught the kiss and fondly pressed it to his chest.

Once more, they parted ways with cheeks far redder than the cool evening wind could possibly cause.

* * *

 

The following day at school was quite unlike the previous days.

Things were different now that the word _boy_ appeared before _friends._

Akaashi had to note that unfortunately, this was not a positive change.

All throughout the lunch break Bokuto was tense as he spoke with Akaashi, throwing apprehensive glances at anyone who dared to look at them. His voice was softer than usual, which was already a strong indicator that something was wrong, considering that they weren't speaking of anything out of the ordinary. He also seemed to sit further away from the setter, his eyes tentatively jumping from person to person instead of focusing on his lunch or Akaashi as they usually did. But most importantly, he was hardly smiling. That was the greatest sign that things were amiss.

"Is everything okay, Bokuto-san?" Akaashi asked carefully, his voice quiet, understanding that his partner would not appreciate speaking at their usual volume.

"What? Why?" He only flinched in surprise, forcing a small smile. "I'm fine, you worry too much."

Akaashi would be unable to pry further unless Bokuto allowed him access, so he only sighed and went along with his partner's jittery behavior. He had hoped that it would pass once they went to practice.

To his greatest disappointment, it didn't.

Bokuto kept missing the ball, watching Akaashi and his teammates rather than the most important object in the game. He bumped into his friends, stole their spikes and receives and did a poor job in all of them regardless. If only he could have shaken his head, taken a sip of water and focused on the practice game, it would all be much better. But this was Bokuto, short-tempered, irritable, bad-day Bokuto who refused to accept his failure and only kept making mistakes until his teammates were actually yelling at him and he screamed back with equal resolve. When nothing in his game improved, he simply sat in the corner of the court, his back turned away from his team, arms crossed on his chest as he ignored their calls to 'get the hell back in the game'. He covered his ears. He no longer cared. He felt that he was crap anyway and there was no point to his playing. Akaashi was forced to take a time-out.

"Bokuto-san," he patted him on the back with an open palm harder than usual, his voice firm and clearly upset. "We need to talk."

Bokuto turned his face away for a moment before standing up and marching off to the changing room. At least there they could have some peace and quiet as the team was told to practice receiving.

"What is wrong with you today?" Akaashi raised his voice, not adding his usual polite 'Bokuto-san' at the end in order to accentuate his frustration.

"Don't yell at me." Bokuto looked at him, tears already gathering in his eyes.

Akaashi took a deep breath. "Okay." He exhaled. "Okay. But please tell me. Even ignoring your performance today, your behavior is making me worried."

"There's nothing wrong with me, I don't know what you're talking about." Bokuto mumbled, looking down at the once white floor tiles.

"Bokuto-san, please." Akaashi insisted, leaning close so that he entered his partner's line of sight. "I can't help you unless you tell me."

"There's nothing to tell." Bokuto shrugged, averting his gaze. "You just need to look around to see what's wrong."

"To see _what_ exactly?" Akaashi pressed on, his brows furrowed as he attempted to recall whether there was anything that could have upset the ace so much. To his knowledge, nothing in their surroundings was particularly different from the usual.

"How they stare." Bokuto's voice was trembling now. "How they walk away and whisper."

"Bokuto-san, nobody is staring at us." Akaashi sighed, shaking his head. If his partner was imagining things, then getting him to think rationally again would take longer than he anticipated.

"Well, I feel like they're staring at us." Bokuto explained. "I feel like a freak."

"Bokuto-san, they don't even know." Akaashi insisted. "Nobody knows. It's not something you can tell just by looking. All day we were acting the way we usually do. They have no way of knowing."

"What if they find out somehow?" Bokuto raised his voice now, eyes glazing over slightly. "What if I forget myself and do something stupid and fuck it all up?" He took a shaky breath. "I'm afraid, Akaashi. I don't want to ruin this."

"Bokuto-san," Akaashi placed his hands on his partner's shoulders and forced him to look at him. "You have nothing to worry about. As long as you don't kiss me in public, no one will ever guess that there's more between us than friendship. You've always been rather clingy so it would actually be more suspicious if you started to keep your distance and always watch yourself now."

Bokuto nodded, processing his words, feeling that they made sense. Then he stopped. "But what about the team? They've definitely noticed something by now, I mean why else would they be so mad at me…"

"They're upset because you're completely not paying attention to the game." Akaashi explained, now cupping his cheeks. "Because you're overthinking things that don't have anything to do with volleyball so your performance is below average. They're mad because you're distracted and your play is a mess."

"Well, of course it would be, when I have to make sure that no one is getting suspicious of us when I call your name for a set differently or when I look at you for too long during the game." Bokuto argued, still unaware of how ridiculous it all sounded.

"Bokuto-san," Akaashi rolled his eyes. "Are you hearing yourself right now? Wake up, already. They don't care. They just want you to go out there and be their captain and their ace. I know it's just a practice game but they really couldn't care less about what we do off the court as long as we lead the team at all times. This is no time to be slacking – the tournament is right around the corner. We _need_ you, Bokuto-san."

"Really?" The ace looked at him hopefully.

"Yes, really." He nodded firmly. "And we need you to focus and stop bothering yourself with irrelevant crap. Nobody will know until we tell them. And we're not planning on telling them, so in terms of _us_ , you're _safe._ Okay?"

"Okay." Bokuto finally agreed. "Nobody knows. Forget about the worries. Focus on the game. Got it."

"I'm glad." Akaashi pronounced softly before leaning in and leaving a quick kiss on his cheek and whispering: "I love you".

"Me too." Bokuto smiled, not quite able to say the whole phrase at school. But that was alright; Akaashi understood his predicament.

They soon returned to the gym, restarting their previously paused game. Bokuto still seemed to be far from the height of his abilities, but he was doing much better than before. A few of their team mates jerked their chins up when looking to Akaashi – a silent 'thank you' for being able to talk sense into their ace, the way he always had.

That was one of the benefits of dating Bokuto – no one was ever suspicious of their being alone together, considering how much time they usually ended up spending with just the two of them.

Akaashi was beginning to see the many perks of dating a _bro._

* * *

 

"Hey, Akaashi," Bokuto began with a small smile as they sat together during lunch. "What would you say for a double date?"

A few days had passed since the weekend during which they declared themselves boyfriends. The events from that Monday had not occurred again, as Bokuto seemed to slowly relax into the school setting and accept that, from the perspective of their peers, nothing had changed between Akaashi and him. By Thursday he had become far more confident in their boyfriendhood, as evidenced by the shameless question, asked with his voice hushed only partially.

"Double date? Who's the other couple?" Akaashi asked, his eyebrows hiking up his forehead.

"Promise not to tell anyone?" Bokuto leaned closer with a grin and lowered his voice to a whisper.

Akaashi released a light sigh. He didn't have anyone he would want to share it with in any case. Making promises felt unnecessary. "Promise." He replied anyway, knowing that it was best to go along with Bokuto's harmless antics.

Bokuto then closed the distance between them and spoke softly into his ear. "Kuroo and Kenma."

Akaashi blinked in visible confusion. "You mean they're…?"

"They're dating!" Bokuto insisted with a smile.

"Since when?" The setter looked at him in disbelief. He had always thought of the two Nekoma players as nothing more than childhood friends, which meant that something big had happened and he completely missed it.

Bokuto thought back to his Skype conversation with Kuroo the previous night. He recalled how uncharacteristically red his cheeks were when he told him how Kenma accepted his feelings.

"So, did you do anything… more?" Bokuto had cut right to the chase.

"Just kissing." Kuroo spoke with an embarrassed smile, clearly playing back the experience in his mind. After a moment of thought added: "We're not like _certain_ sex maniacs."

"Said the _sex guru_." Bokuto clipped, arms crossed on his chest, a smug smirk on his lips. " _Certain sex maniacs_ only followed your advice."

"Yeah, well," Kuroo inhaled and kept his breath in for a few seconds while he thought of a sassy enough response. Not finding one and feeling the lack of air slowly get to him, he breathed out and told his friend the truth. "We want to take it slowly. I don't want to push him into anything he doesn't find comfortable. He's still not as sure of this as I am. I want to give him the time and space he needs."

"You can be so sweet sometimes." Bokuto shook his head with a genuine smile.

"Careful with those compliments there, Tiger, this bad boy's already taken." He winked, his expression shifting to his usual pride and awareness of his own assets. If he weren't such good friends with him, Bokuto would probably consider him a douche. But they happened to be really close, and as far as Bokuto was concerned, Kuroo was _his_ douche. (Not to mention that his perceived douchiness was more of an inside joke than anything.)

"Well, he's not the only one." Bokuto reminded him of his current relationship status.

"Right. And thanks to _whom_ is it that you're with Akaashi right now?" Kuroo smirked so hard that his canines almost glistened in the light reflected from the screen. He didn't give his friend time to reply as he metaphorically grabbed the comeback in mid-air. "My job here is done (and done well, might I add). The sex guru, signing off."

"Well…" Bokuto rolled his eyes somewhat affectionately. "I can't quite deny that."

Kuroo suggested a double date right after that part of the conversation. Bokuto heard him out.

"So, what do you say?" The captain of Nekoma grinned. "Just the four of us, McDonalds and a movie afterwards?"

"I'll ask, okay?" Bokuto answered. "No promises."

And so, the following day during lunch, he asked.

And Akaashi had replied with a question, wanting to know since when their Nekoma friends were a couple.

"A few days, no more than a week." Bokuto answered resolutely. "But I can tell you that Kuroo had wanted it for way longer than that. Seems it took Kenma even longer to notice."

Akaashi nodded, his surprise slowly fading. Thinking back on it, it did make some sense. He himself was quite dense in regards to romantic feelings, which explained why he never really took note of Kuroo's desire of his friend. He also found it understandable that it must have been difficult for Kuroo, considering that Kenma seemed to have little (if any) interest in relationship deeper than friendship. The tides were finally changing and it looked like Bokuto and him weren't the only ones affected by the pleasant thought of dating close friends.

"Where would we go then? What would we do?" Akaashi was referring to the double date now.

"The mall." Bokuto smiled, feeling like their date was virtually in sight. _The mall_ had been the common nickname for the shopping center which lay around half-way from the Fukurodani Academy to the Nekoma High School, making it the perfect meet-up spot for the students of both schools, as they would end up travelling similar distances. "We'd go to McDonalds and head to the movies right after that."

 _Junk food again_ , Akaashi thought, although he wasn't as concerned about their diet as he perhaps should be. As long as eating trash during their dates wouldn't become a habit, he wouldn't mind doing it once or twice. He couldn't quite ignore his craving for nuggets either.

"Alright. Let's go then." Akaashi finally nodded. He figured that a double-date would be a good idea for their first public date; that way they would only look like a group of friends having a good time, instead two pairs of _boy_ friends. "When would we go though?"

"Saturday after practice?" Bokuto grinned at his response.

"Fine by me." Akaashi agreed.

Bokuto was _beaming_ , his legs already twitching and his fingers tapping on the table from the giddiness. He leaned closer for a moment. "If we weren't in public, I'd totally kiss you right now."

The corners of Akaashi's lips rose ever so slightly. "It just so happens that I know a certain restroom where you can relieve that need."

And just when Akaashi thought it impossible, Bokuto appeared even happier.

* * *

 

After Saturday's practice, the two had rushed in and out of the showers, bolting out of the changing room to make it for the earlier train. There was another one in the schedule, but it would come half an hour later, leaving them only around fifteen minutes for going to McDonalds. It could have been called _fast_ food, but they weren't particularly excited for the prospect of having to rush their meal.

Which is how they ended up reaching the mall earlier than planned. A text from Kuroo informed them that they would be alone for another twenty minutes while they commuted to their meeting spot.

"Should we go window shopping until they get here?" Bokuto suggested, a little uneasy at being alone with Akaashi in a public place which wasn't the school. He wasn't used to this yet.

"Sure. Mind if we check out the bookstore?" Akaashi asked, thinking that if they had some free time then taking a look at the new releases wouldn't hurt.

Bokuto agreed and the setter led him to the shop of his choice, on the way making sure to gently bump his hand into his, wanting to subtly coax him into holding hands. Bokuto was either too oblivious to understand the meaning behind the act or Akaashi's movements were too soft for him to notice because they reached the store before their hands could connect.

Akaashi headed to the area of the bookstore where the new books were usually displayed, while Bokuto hung around the manga section, wondering if he had any time to start a new series or continue one he used to read a while ago. He wasn't a huge manga reader anymore but he did find some stories appealing and wanted to follow them, even if he had little time on his hands.

Akaashi returned a few minutes later, empty-handed. "You're not buying anything?" Bokuto asked in mild surprise, having previously thought that his partner had a specific book in mind which he was going to purchase.

"No, I just wanted to look around a bit." He shook his head, pulling his phone out of his pocket. "We can probably start heading to the food court; they should be here soon."

Bokuto agreed and they left the store a moment later. Akaashi glanced to his partner's hand, feeling his own waving emptily by his side. He wanted to see how it would feel to walk while holding hands, despite the light fear of being stared at. He wanted to feel that they were on a date, even if the world around them wouldn't approve. He figured that in the Saturday crowds no one would pay attention to a single gay couple passing by.

He decided that if being subtle didn't work, he would take firmer measures. In an instant, his fingers closed around Bokuto's palm as he pulled himself closer through their connected hands. The ace's hand would have felt good, Akaashi thought, if he wouldn't have immediately pulled it away, successfully shaking off his partner's attempt. Bokuto looked at him in shock – mild disgust even – quickly pocketing his hands to prevent another try. Not quite discouraged, Akaashi did try again, this time wrapping his hand around Bokuto's arm, which looked both more casual and brought them even closer. Bokuto only unhooked his hand, took a few steps away from him and shook his head in disbelief.

Akaashi opened his mouth.

Closed it.

Closed his hands into fists.

And walked in the opposite direction, quickening his steps, successfully leaving Bokuto behind.

"Wait. Wait!" He heard the voice behind him, growing more desperate with each cry and only walked faster.

"Wait!" Bokuto caught up to him and grabbed him by the shoulder, which only ended in Akaashi quickly shaking his hand off. "Please, wait." He pleaded, his voice already trembling. When the setter finally looked at him, he noticed that there were tears in his eyes. He averted his own, forcing them to look at the ground.

"I'm sorry." Bokuto pronounced weakly.

"Whatever." Akaashi shrugged, attempting to feign indifference, but doing it so hard that it was clear that he was far from alright with the situation.

"I'm sorry…" Bokuto was crying now, albeit quietly, still holding the tears back. "Please don't leave me. I'm sorry."

Akaashi sighed. "Okay." He grabbed his partner's wrist. "Come with me." He didn't struggle this time and only followed him obediently.

The setter took him to one of the nearby restrooms, relieved to notice that it was empty.

"I'm sorry." Bokuto wept harder as soon as the door was shut. "I'm such a disappointment."

"That's not true." Akaashi exhaled, slowly coming to the realization that he was personally responsible for this breakdown. Resting his back against the wall across from the door, he pulled Bokuto close, allowing him to find some comfort in his embrace. "You're not a disappointment."

"That's a lie, and you know it." Bokuto sobbed quietly into his shoulder, his hands wrapping around Akaashi's back. "I can't even hold your hand. I can't even do something so simple, _so basic._ I'm a shitty boyfriend."

"You're not." Akaashi assured him, gently stroking down his back. "We're both new to this. Both of us still have things to learn and to get used to. It's okay-"

"I don't deserve you." Bokuto wasn't listening anymore, only clutching him tighter and weeping beside his ear. "We should break up. I can't do this. I suck at this. You deserve better."

"Don't say that, Bokuto-san." Akaashi felt the painful tightness in his chest. Too similar to the one from the past Saturday. He breathed deeper in an attempt to calm himself. He couldn't lose composure now. "We've only just begun. Give yourself a chance."

"I can't even hold your hand." The ace repeated with a louder sob, before collapsing into helpless weeping.

Akaashi felt him shake in his arms, his bawling echoing off the tiles of the restroom. He rocked him gently back and forth in an attempt to calm him, as one might do with a baby. And some basic, vulgar part of Akaashi thought that Bokuto was really nothing but a big baby – laughing as long as someone or something entertained him and crying as soon as things didn't go the way he wanted them to. But Akaashi realized that that part of him was unreasonable, ridiculous and ignorant even, because there was so much more to Bokuto than that. Because he hadn't fallen in love with a big baby; he fell in love with an extremely insecure, partially emotionally unstable boy who brought light into his life despite everything else and gave him more than he ever asked him for. Being there for him when he needed it was the least he could do. And he would be willing to do so much more whenever he was given the chance.

"You deserve better. I hate myself." Bokuto could only say once he regained part of his composure.

"Well, I love you." Akaashi spoke resolutely. Perhaps he was desperate to find something to say which could calm his partner, but he couldn't think of anything that could describe his feelings better than the short phrase. He genuinely loved him and he hoped that would be enough for Bokuto.

The ace stilled for a moment, taking deeper breaths. "I love you, too." He pronounced with a sniffle. "But I feel like shit for not being able to do the simplest boyfriend things."

"No, it's not your fault." Akaashi shook his head lightly. "I'm sorry, Bokuto-san. I shouldn't have tried to hold hands when you were not ready for it. I don't want to force you to do things that you're uncomfortable with. I shouldn't have gotten upset. I was being selfish. So I'm sorry."

"But there's nothing wrong in wanting to hold hands with your partner…" Bokuto sighed, his voice still somewhat shaky. "I'm sorry for rejecting it so hard. I just… I'm afraid. I'm afraid of people staring, of whispers behind our backs, of people looking away in disgust… I know it shouldn't matter, I mean, fuck what they think, they don't run our lives but… I'm just afraid."

"I understand, Bokuto-san." Akaashi agreed, gently stroking through his partner's hair. "I won't pressure you into it."

"But I want to hold hands with you!" Bokuto assured, pulling away for a moment in order to look Akaashi directly in the eyes so that he could see that he meant it. "I just… maybe I just need to take it slow."

"Okay." The corners of Akaashi's lips rose slightly. "Then feel free to hold my hand whenever you're ready."

"I will." Bokuto smiled back, his eyes no longer teary, though still undeniably red. Quickly, he pressed a kiss to his partner's lips. A grin shone on Bokuto's lips once he pulled away. Somehow kissing in restrooms had become their thing. Bokuto didn't hate it, and Akaashi wouldn't complain about his partner showing him affection. The setting was the last thing they cared for when they could finally kiss.

* * *

 

Rushing out of the restroom and sprinting to the food court, they were only two minutes late to their previously established meeting time. Kuroo and Kenma were there on time.

"Sorry, did you have to wait long?" Bokuto asked, slightly out of breath after all the running.

Kuroo already opened his mouth to somewhat playfully scold him for making him wait, but he quickly noticed his friend's swollen eyes, still red from the recent crying. His mild irritation faded as his gaze flicked to Akaashi who knew very well how his partner looked at the moment, and could only fumble with his hands as he apologized for being late. Kuroo only sighed.

"No big deal." He shrugged quickly with an understanding smile. "We still have plenty of time till the movie. Let's get some delicious junk food now, shall we?"

Bokuto smiled back. He was grateful that even his least serious friend had the tact to try to cheer them up. It was at such times that Bokuto could experience and truly appreciate how dependable Kuroo could be.

Having ordered and received their food, the four of them sat at one of the tables, munching on French fries, a large serving of nuggets which they shared in addition their own respective burgers. As Bokuto and Kuroo discussed the possible line-up of their rivals in the upcoming tournament ("What if Nekoma had to go up against Fukurodani?" "Dude, that will _never_ happen.") Akaashi noticed from across the table that Kenma kept tapping away on the screen of his smartphone with one hand, having said nothing from the moment they found each other in the food court.

"What are you playing, Kenma-san?" Akaashi asked after a moment. He figured that it wouldn't hurt to start a conversation once in a while (especially assuming that double dates could become a new routine).

"Pokémon Go." Kenma shrugged, taking a sip of his drink. He was well-aware that he was above such casual games and no one would even think to accuse him of playing it, but he couldn't deny that he enjoyed it. There was something amusing in trying to collect all of the little monsters, even if most people considered it lame.

"Yeah, he wants to be the very best." Kuroo swung his arm around his partner and draped over him fondly. "Right, Kenma?"

"You're heavy." The blond mumbled, gently escaping his love through weaving himself out of his arms.

Akaashi understood how he never noticed that there was something deeper between them – their antics never changed. In truth, he could hardly believe that they were a couple now.

Before he could ponder the topic deeper he felt weight and warmth on his hand which had rested on his thigh. He looked to Bokuto only to see a wide smile on his lips and a light flush on his cheeks. His partner slowly intertwined their fingers together, scooting closer and hiding their palms under the table.

Akaashi opened his mouth.

Closed it.

Squeezed Bokuto's hand tighter.

"Thank you." Akaashi whispered. "I appreciate it."

Bokuto had no words of reply.

All because Akaashi was _smiling_.

And Bokuto was certain that it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

* * *

 

In the movie theater, they had unanimously chosen the movie which would be played the soonest, making sure to buy the tickets in the last row, preferably off to the side. If any of them had been hesitant before, now they could all be certain that the movie would not, in fact, be their main source of entertainment.

They were lucky enough to get the seats in the corner of the last row, where no one would even bother looking once the movie began. They chose some action flick with large explosions and even larger guns, which would further assure that they would remain undisturbed. The small amount of people on the film was a cherry on top of their ploy.

They were only a few minutes into the movie when Bokuto noticed Kuroo (who sat beside him) lean in Kenma's direction. He smirked, keeping his eyes on the screen, but when his friend didn't sit back up, he couldn't help his curiosity and turned his head toward the two Nekoma members. When the screen lit up with a bright setting, the light allowed him to see that they were making out in abandon, with no regards for their surroundings. He tapped Akaashi on the arm and motioned his head in the direction of their friends. Akaashi leaned closer and blinked with surprise as he watched them.

Kenma's hand was wedged in Kuroo's unruly hair, occasionally sliding down his jaw, stroking over his neck, then returning to its original position. Their lips opened and closed around one another in unison, revealing some tongue as the kiss became faster, needier. Akaashi couldn't quite tell with the bad lighting, but he thought he could see a distinct flush on both of their cheeks. He no longer had any doubts that they were a couple, and was impressed how nothing seemed different about them at first glance. He wondered if he and Bokuto also appeared like friends to the outside world. He quickly shook the thought off, reached out to his partner's cheek and pulled him in for a kiss. The ace didn't resist and welcomed Akaashi's lips with a soft moan.

He felt he finally understood the appeal of cinema dates – and the movie was the _last_ thing that made them great.

* * *

 

By the end of the movie, their lips were chapped and swollen but not a single one of them was bothered by the fact. Once they had left the theater and were exiting through the long back-corridors that would return them to the mall, two girls caught up with Bokuto and Akaashi and forced them to slow their pace. One of them had long black hair and wore glasses which complimented her features. She was the one to spark up the conversation. "You were sitting together during the movie, right?" she asked with a kind smile.

Bokuto and Akaashi looked to one another in confusion. Akaashi decided it was his place to reply. "Yes. Why?"

"We saw you." She explained and Akaashi felt his heart sink. He didn't even want to think how Bokuto would react to this. Before anything could happen, however, the girl spoke again. "I think it's great that you have the confidence to go out in public. I'm glad to see that homosexuals aren't afraid anymore and don't feel the need to hide."

 _Homosexuals._ Akaashi rolled the word around in his head for a moment. He had so rarely heard the word used in real life that it almost sounded foreign. Most people in Japan referred to them as either 'homos' or 'gays' and neither of them were very favorable names. It occurred to him that this girl wasn't quite like what he had expected of a random stranger.

"Does that mean that you're also…?" Akaashi couldn't quite bring himself to pronounce it, out of fear of any unwelcome ears.

"Yeah. We're together." She raised her hand with a smile and showed how it tenderly held her girlfriend's palm. The other girl blushed and looked away, which only emphasized her point. "We still can't be open about it with everyone, but we want to stand up for ourselves a bit, show that we're no different from straight couples. I feel like if all of us had this sort of confidence, maybe we wouldn't have to hide in fear of losing our friends, family, or even jobs. All revolutions start out small after all."

The girl had a pleasant smile that made Akaashi nod in agreement. "Is there anything you would like to ask of us?" he wanted to make sure, still rather confused about the girl's intentions.

"No, not really. I was just happy to see that we weren't alone here after all." She grinned. "If there is anything, perhaps I'd like you to always remain strong and true to yourself, though that may be a lot to ask. Just remember that there's more of us than you'd imagine. The few odd stares you might get will never be worth more than the hope you bring to the rest of us who remain hidden. That's all I really wanted to say."

Within the next few seconds, they had lost her in the crowd, along with Kuroo and Kenma. Akaashi and Bokuto looked at each other once more. "Looks like we aren't alone in this after all." Akaashi pronounced with unusual optimism.

"Looks like some people can understand." Bokuto smiled, slowly relaxing from the tension of the previous moment. "Looks like I might have been panicking for nothing." He chuckled.

The next instant, he reached for Akaashi's hand, holding it gently as they left the cinema for good and found their two friends waiting for them. They didn't let go. "What took you so long?" Kuroo asked with genuine curiosity.

"That's a secret." Bokuto grinned, lightly shaking the hand which held Akaashi's palm.

Kuroo smirked and nodded in approval. "I see."

Bokuto and Akaashi continued to hold hands all the way to the train station, sometimes squeezing harder, sometimes letting only their fingers touch, depending on the amount of people around. It was easy to hide their connected hands in the crowd, as busy people passing by them quickly could hardly notice anything. It was easy to forget they were even in public when they had the reassurance in the form of their warmth right in their palms. It was easy to forget that some people stared, some people whispered and some people looked away with a frown.

All that time they were thinking that dating someone of the same sex would always be hard. They were completely blind to the possibility that it could be _easy._ And for the first time since they became more than friends everything seemed simple.

For the first time, everything _was_ simple.

For a moment, they could be themselves without fear and breathe with relief.

For it was only with their hands locked tightly around one another that they could feel truly free.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be perfectly honest, this last scene is sort of like wishful thinking for me because Japan is still largely homophobic and many gay youths are very much in the closet. I'd definitely like them to know that they're not alone and they're perfectly normal the way they are.
> 
> Regardless of that though, it seems like we are slowly nearing the end of the story. :') Yes, I know, it seems impossible to me too, considering how long I've already worked on it, but the end will most likely come soon.
> 
> But! It's not over yet! And with that, I would definitely like to hear your thoughts on the chapter, since I want to make every one of these last chapters meaningful. I hope you enjoyed this one and if you would like to tell me more about your feelings on this episode of the fic, I'd be incredibly happy to read them.I am really grateful that you've followed the story so far. ^^ Thank you for reading and I hope to see you during the next update. <3


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gosh, this is it. This is really it. The last chapter.
> 
> HOW?
> 
> I've worked on this fic for so long that it actually feels impossible for it to end. But unfortunately, this will be it for this story.
> 
> I'll leave the emotional bit of my thoughts in the end notes (and I hope you read it once you finish this chapter because it's pretty important to me), so for the time being, I sincerely hope you enjoy this last chapter and this ending and I hope that in the end, this ride was as fun for you, as it was for me.

"Akaashi." Bokuto began with a stern expression but his tone remained light as they headed for practice.

"Yes?" Akaashi encouraged him, assuming the proximity of some sort of follow-up.

"I've been thinking." Bokuto continued slowly.

In the past few weeks he had indeed been thinking more than was expected of him. It had already been over a month since Bokuto and Akaashi began dating. They had spent this time similarly to their _bro bonding_ times and their first week together, meaning meeting up on weekends, having sex, hiding away in school restrooms in order to share some affection, low-key holding hands in public and cuddling in private. Apart from the few minor breakdowns Bokuto experienced during this time (all related to their relationship status and/or their sexuality) and the couple of times they went out on dates in public (sometimes to the mall, sometimes simply eating out or strolling around in the open air) this time had not been particularly eventful.

The greatest event during this period of time was Bokuto's 18th birthday, for which the rest of the Fukurodani volleyball team had thrown him a small surprise party. It was nothing more than some snacks, soft drinks and a small cake along with an out of tune 'happy birthday' sang by all of his teammates after one of their afternoon practices, but it was enough to make Bokuto shed tears of joy. His friends patted him on the back with reluctant smiles, telling him not to cry and enjoy the occasion, to which he only nodded, pulled on a cardboard party hat and ate his cake with a grin so large that he looked as though he were at least eight years younger.

His teammates also gathered money and bought him a gift – a brand new sports bag, which was an easy choice, since his old one had been carelessly thrown around so much for the past three years that it was worn on the bottom, with small holes opening on the sides and the straps beginning to tear off. Bokuto almost started crying again when he received it, but the smiles of his friends quickly cleared his wet eyes.

Once the celebrations with the team were over Akaashi had lead him to one of the nearby karaoke places where, to Bokuto's great surprise, Kuroo and Kenma were waiting for them.

"I tried to ask Tsukki out, but he said he was busy." Kuroo confessed to which Bokuto only waved his hand. He understood that their friend from Karasuno lived too far away to casually come over for karaoke. The evening was a fun one regardless.

It was at the karaoke place where Bokuto's proper birthday party had taken place. Bokuto received another cake, free drinks, and a few more practical gifts. The four of them sang until their throats were raw (including Kenma and Akaashi, which reluctantly joined the fun and soon got mildly drunk from the atmosphere alone) and they were almost all out of money for snacks and drinks. None of them forgot to mark the occasion with a few kisses; even Kuroo and Kenma, although it was hardly them who celebrated. All four of them were happy to let loose once in a while and enjoy the closeness with their partners without having to hide. The night had been a huge success and Bokuto found it to be one of the best times he had had in a long time.

That had taken place a few weeks earlier. Since meeting the strange but kind girl in the mall, Bokuto had had plenty of time to think about their situation, what all of it meant and what they would do about it in the future. Finally, he had decided to do something that the two of them had barely discussed before and, on the most part, weren't realistically considering yet.

"I think I want to tell my dad about us." Bokuto pronounced quietly as they headed down the emptied hallway.

Akaashi stopped and looked at him with eyes wide open, disbelieving. He finally blinked and spoke. "I thought we decided not to tell our parents anything until we were sure that this was it and it would work out long-term."

"Yeah, I know." Bokuto smiled lightly, suddenly embarrassed and all but hesitant. "But I figured it wouldn't hurt to tell just him."

Akaashi sighed. "You know that it won't be just him. I understand that you trust your father, but he will surely tell your mother and it will only spread further. The less people know, the less we're risking that word reaches school."

"You have a point." Bokuto smiled now in reassurance, as though he knew more than Akaashi. "But I would really like to tell him. You don't need to worry about others finding out. He'll keep it to himself. I can promise that, if you want."

Akaashi wanted to say that his promise didn't matter much since he couldn't vouch for his father but he only shook his head and spoke rationally. "You know this will change things. It could potentially change a lot and make it even harder for us. And there's no real need to do that now anyway. Do you really want to tell him anyway?"

"Yeah." Bokuto nodded, looking off into the distance. "It'll be fine, really."

Akaashi closed his eyes and sighed. "Can I ask why you want to do this so much?"

"I want him to know. We've already kept it hidden for long enough." Bokuto declared resolutely. "If I were in his place I would want my son to tell me about something this big."

"Okay." Akaashi finally nodded. "I just hope you know what you're doing."

"For once, I think I do." Bokuto grinned, his eyes soft, as though he was consoling his partner. It was an odd feeling, but the setter found it quite comforting.

* * *

 

Bokuto insisted that they should tell his father together, so Akaashi found a free afternoon and a few days later, they headed to Bokuto's apartment.

Standing before the front door, Bokuto spoke with an excited smile. "He's waiting inside."

Akaashi swallowed, clearly feeling his heartbeat and the uncomfortable tightening in his stomach. He was certain that his palms were beginning to sweat despite the cool October wind blowing around them. He took a deep breath, clenched his jaw and fists in an attempt to control himself and nodded to his partner, signaling that he was ready to enter. If he were to be honest, he wasn't ready at all, but he felt that he would never be fully prepared to tell someone that he was dating a boy, much less saying it to the father of said boy. He simply wanted it to be over already; the more he waited the more restless he could only become.

"He's in the living room." Bokuto whispered once they were taking their shoes off inside.

"Good evening, sir." Akaashi called out politely and accepted the following silence as a response. There was technically no need for his father to reply, although that didn't mean that he was any less stressed about what they were about to do.

Once their jackets were off and their bags were left by the door, Bokuto took him to the living room by the hand. Akaashi was practically nauseated from fear and entered the room with his eyes closed.

He waited for a low male voice to greet him.

He only heard his own breath, and after a moment opened his eyes.

To his greatest surprise, the room was empty save for the two of them.

"But, where…?" he could only utter in confusion before Bokuto let go of him, walked deeper into the room and kneeled in front of the wall.

Only now did Akaashi notice the small rice-paper partition covering a quarter of the inner part of the room. When he saw Bokuto clap his hands together and bow his head, he understood what was hidden behind it.

"Hi, dad." Bokuto spoke softly, his eyes closed. "It's been a while since I told you anything but life wasn't very interesting. I mean, it's been good, but not much had happened. Until recently, at least."

Akaashi was seized by terror of the realization, finding it hard to breathe, his heart beating at his ribs, his hands shaking as he slowly stepped forward on his weak legs, until he could see it – the wooden altar which covered most of the wall behind the partition. A small stick of incense burned beside a black and white picture of a man who smiled in never-fading joy.

Bokuto's dad.

He quickly fell to his knees beside Bokuto, pressed his palms together and bowed his head low.

"You remember Akaashi, right?" Bokuto went on with a light smile. "He's the vice-captain and the setter on the team and he's always there for me. I'm sure I told you about him. Well, Akaashi and I, we… we started dating. We're a couple now, dad. I love him very much. I know that we're both boys but I also know you would understand. I may not be like you or mom, but I'm still your son and I know you can accept me for who I am. I'm really happy with Akaashi. I never knew just spending time with a person could make me this happy."

Akaashi fought the tears that pressed at his closed eyes, threatening to spill and stinging his tight throat. He should have known. Bokuto rarely spoke about his father and usually skillfully evaded any questions about him. When asked why he never came to any of Fukurodani's games, he said that he was always busy with work. Akaashi never even bothered wondering why he had never seen him in Bokuto's house, even on the few occasions when he visited him during the weekend. He never suspected anything, not with Bokuto always referring to his 'parents', suggesting that he still had both. Now that he thought of it, he usually either mentioned his 'parents' or his 'mom'. Akaashi never took even a moment to notice that he never spoke of his dad. Now it all seemed clear. On a few times he had wondered about Bokuto's relations with his father, but he had always assumed that they either didn't get along well or his parents were divorced at worst.

Not ever would he have thought that his father was dead.

"We've been together for a few weeks now." Bokuto continued. "Sorry for not telling you earlier. Both of us are still trying to figure it all out so we wanted to keep it a secret until we were certain. I'm still not one hundred percent sure, but I wanted you to know. I'm dating a boy and I'm happy. I hope you can be happy for me too."

A few tears slowly rolled down Akaashi's cheeks. He remembered Bokuto's words from their conversation from a few days before. _He'll keep it to himself_ \- the ace had said, promised even. Of course he'd keep it to himself, Akaashi thought. Dead people didn't speak. He felt like a complete fool. How many times had he said things that could hurt someone with a late father? How many times had he said something completely inappropriate without knowing? He bit his lower lip, trying to remember all of their previous conversations about their parents, wanting to keep count of how many stupid things he had said by accident. He couldn't recall them all, but he knew that he had made far too many mistakes.

"Akaashi?" Bokuto addressed him now, ending the conversation with his father before the setter could make note of it. "Are you crying?"

"I might be." He spoke quietly, his breath shaky as he wiped his eyes with the back of his hand.

"Don't cry." Bokuto smiled indulgently and stroked down his partner's cheeks, bringing a hand around his waist for the sake of reassurance.

"I'm just overwhelmed." Akaashi shook his head, slowly gathering himself and looking to his partner in hopes of an explanation. "You never told me."

"I never told anyone." Bokuto smiled at his hands sadly. "I didn't want people to know. I mean, why should they? What does it change about me? Nothing. Just makes them more awkward, makes them talk about what they did with their dads during the weekend with shushed voices so that I won't hear. I don't want to be pitied; it only makes me feel worse for not having a dad."

Akaashi nodded slowly, understanding that Bokuto must have already experienced all of that in the past. He couldn't relate, but he could imagine that it was difficult for him. "But you told me now."

"Yeah." Bokuto grinned in a more relaxed manner now. "I thought you deserved to know. And so did dad about you and I. It was an exchange of secrets. You found out about dad and he learned about you. To be honest telling someone about it feels like a weight taken off my chest. Or, two weights, I guess."

After a moment of pensive silence, Akaashi asked softly. "Would you tell me more about him?"

Bokuto nodded. "He died when I was eight years old. It's weird, now that I think about it, it's already been ten years since then. Somehow it all flew by so quickly…" he sighed and stared at his father's picture for a few seconds before continuing. "He died in a car accident. It was so sudden. One day you have a father and the next one he's gone. I couldn't understand it. We were always so close and he was a great dad. He loved mom and me a lot. How could he just disappear? It took me weeks of therapy before I could go to school without having to leave early because of a breakdown. My mom was so worried – her husband had just died and her son was about to fail third grade because he couldn't go a day without crying at school. She cried a lot, too. She didn't earn nearly as much as dad did and soon we had to move to a smaller apartment because she couldn't afford to maintain our previous house. For the first few months it was… hard."

Akaashi carefully watched his partner, ready to embrace and comfort him if the memories became too much. But Bokuto's face was still and focused and his eyes were clear. There was no sign that would suggest that he was about to cry. It was almost as if he weren't telling his own story.

"But dad had a brother and he came out and helped us of his own free will. I honestly don't know where we would have ended up if it weren't for uncle. He gave us financial support and came over often to cheer both of us up. He couldn't replace my dad, both mom and I knew it, but he tried his best anyway. Even after he got busy with his job, he came over at least once every few weeks and helped us until mom got a better paying job. We still meet up sometimes, but it's not like what it used to be when I was a kid. I think it's really great that he did all that and I really loved him when I was younger but you can't keep up that connection when you barely see the other person. He's got his own family now, there's no need for him to hang out with his nephew anymore." There was a variety of nuance in Bokuto's voice, but it was nostalgia that resounded clearest in his words.

"Do you miss your father?" Akaashi asked and regretted the question the moment it left his lips. It sounded absolutely foolish.

"Of course, I do." Bokuto chuckled bitterly. "You don't ever get over losing your father. It's something that stays with you forever. I wish he could have spent all those years with us, I wish I would wake up one day and realize that it was all just a bad dream. But I can wish all I want and I can cry myself to sleep night after night, but that won't bring him back. You can trust me on that one – I tried. He's not coming back and there's nothing I can do about it. At some point you realize that you have to go on about your life even if you feel empty inside and the rift left by your father won't disappear. But it gets better, somehow. I did find a way to cope after all. I talk to dad when I feel like I need him and he listens. He doesn't say much, unfortunately, but this helps me somehow. I like to think that he's still with us in some shape or form. I imagine what he would say, what he would do, and it helps. He's not here physically but it's not like I have to forget that he ever existed. He's still my father. Remembering him is the least I could do."

"I'm so sorry, Bokuto-san." Akaashi gazed at him, his voice soft and sad, but not pitying, his eyes gazing at him with admiration rather than confusion or hesitation. "It must have been so difficult. But I am so glad that you managed to find a way to live on. You were incredibly brave."

Since they began the topic Bokuto's face remained unmoved, his eyes cast down, his lips an unusual straight line, his muscles relaxed and smooth. Now, however, it contorted as he smiled helplessly, his forehead wrinkling, tears welling in his eyes. He might have loved and missed his father, might have spent days and nights crying over him, but now it was Akaashi's praise that almost brought him to tears.

"Thank you, Akaashi." He said, pulling his partner close and kissing him on the forehead. "You really do know what to say."

Akaashi only shook his head and leaned into Bokuto, his hands travelling to his back as he pressed himself close. The ace squeezed him in response and they could feel each other's heartbeats against their chests and hear the slow inhales and exhales. They remained in the embrace, surrounded by the companionable silence for some time.

When Akaashi finally pulled away, he glanced at the black and white picture on the altar and offered his partner a question: "Do you think he would approve of us?"

"I'd like to think so." Bokuto sighed with a small smile. "I have no real way of knowing. I wouldn't understand his views as a kid, and even if I could, there's no way I could remember now."

"Right." Akaashi nodded slowly, now watching the picture intently, noticing the details of the man's appearance. Bokuto may have had his mother's smile, but he had his father's eyes and a nose shaped similarly to his. The man wasn't extremely handsome but he had some inner charm to him which, as far as Akaashi could tell, must have comprised most of his appeal. He seemed kind and looked like he would make a great father. He could confidently say that Bokuto inherited his best features.

"But you're not planning on telling your mom yet, right?" Akaashi wanted to be certain. Considering that he knew Bokuto's mother and was on good terms with her, he would be even more afraid to tell her about their relationship.

"Mm, no, I think that can wait." Bokuto hummed. "Though I think she'd accept us. She's been through so much already and I _am_ her only child. She'd find a way to understand us."

"That's somewhat reassuring." Akaashi nodded, considering their situation. "I'm not sure if my parents would accept us. It certainly wouldn't be easy. They may dote on me but they would probably want me to get into a good university, a well-paying job, get a loving wife and have kids and be what people think is 'successful'. Us, what we're doing… probably isn't part of their plan for me."

"You have a point." Bokuto sighed with a light frown. "Maybe you could subtly bring up the topic somehow and figure out what they think about it?"

"I can, but I don't think it'll give us much." Akaashi shrugged. "I've read about it on the internet. Many parents in Japan say they're alright with homosexuality and such, but when they find out their own child is gay or in a relationship with a person of the same sex, they completely lose it. Many consider them a shame to the family and sometimes even begin treating them like strangers. It's usually only a matter of time before people turn away from them. It's tragic, really."

"Sometimes I feel like this country is fucked up." Bokuto announced, gazing at the floor and shaking his head.

"Sometimes, you might just be right." Akaashi agreed with a sad tone in his voice. He believed that it was never exactly easy to be gay, but with understanding parents, they could face the rest of the world which could reject them. If he didn't even have that much, he wouldn't know what to do.

"I'm afraid, Bokuto-san." The setter finally confessed. "I don't want to tell anyone else yet. I think we should give it more time, let our parents see us together more often. Maybe then it'll seem more natural, maybe it will even be obvious for them. But I'm too afraid to risk so much now."

"I understand." Bokuto brought an arm around him and brushed his lips against his cheek. "It'll be a huge change for us. Unless it's necessary or we really can't hide it anymore, we won't tell them. So for now, let's not worry about it. I can keep a secret or two, after all."

The ace grinned with the last sentence, but Akaashi found it to be filled with melancholy. A death in the family was not a secret anyone wanted to have to keep.

They agreed to tell their parents at a later date. The event would go down both worse and better than they had expected it.

But they had no way of knowing that yet.

At the moment, only time could tell.

* * *

 

A few days later it was Sunday again. Bokuto and Akaashi spent it together, as per their new custom.

This time, they decided to go out for a walk, and perhaps eat in town if they found a nice place. This was not their first date out in the open, but going out together still took courage, caution and more than a fair amount of nerves. This was all the more true now that the day was unusually warm and sunny for October and people flocked to the great outdoors like moths to fire. There was no telling whether students from Fukurodani lived in the area and would suddenly appear out of what seemed like nowhere, only to spread gossip as soon as the following day. There were no convenient crowds here the way they were omnipresent at the mall, after all.

Bokuto and Akaashi walked near one another, their arms virtually pressed together. They concluded that it didn't look particularly suspicious to any potential onlookers. When they walked down less populated streets, they allowed their fingers to gently interlock and mingle in the familiar warmth of their hands. When they encountered more people, they simply let go and kept walking closely huddled together. It may not have been holding hands, but it was still considerably pleasant.

On this particular Sunday, the two decided to enjoy the weather by visiting the nearby park. Of course, they figured that they wouldn't be the only couple who would want to spend some time among one of the few green spaces in the city, but they could handle that issue. It was Bokuto who contributed here – he knew about a certain 'secret' hideout within the complex. Said hideout was an old part of the park, overgrown by thorny bushes, blocking the path that had years ago led to it. Bokuto had discovered it years earlier when he was playing in the park with his friends, all the way back in primary school. He knew that some kids still frequented the place, but it was absolutely couple-free, as most of the ladies would not be willing to risk tearing their outfits only to reach a more remote location.

As such, the place was perfect for the two of them.

After an enthusiastic agreement, Bokuto had led his partner to the area. Upon reaching the place, Akaashi had to note that it was indeed overgrown, to the point where most people would never even think that there was anything hidden behind the bushes. The leaves had now turned brownish shades of yellow and orange, but they hardly looked inviting, still packed together tightly around sharp branches.

Bokuto took him around the side of the deepest cluster of the bushes and pushed himself through a small opening. It wasn't quite large enough, and the thorns caught onto his clothes and hair, but he didn't seem to mind. He vanished behind the natural fence for a moment before reappearing, holding the branches back to allow Akaashi to pass unscathed. The setter nodded in silent gratitude and slipped through the entrance created by his partner. Despite his best efforts, however, he had carelessly swung his hand right onto one of the thorns which opened a small red gash down his ring finger and the nearest knuckle.

"Ouch." Akaashi whispered on the other side, raising his hand to his eyes to assess the wound.

Bokuto only clicked his tongue and seized the hand in his own. "Damn, sorry." He shook his head lightly, before dipping lower and licking the blood off in one quick swipe. "There." He smiled innocently.

Akaashi blinked slowly, his mouth falling open in surprise. He hadn't quite expected such a reaction. "Uh, Bokuto-san," he began softly, mildly concerned. "Are you aware that what you just did is unhygienic? I mean, I appreciate it; I would have done the same, saliva usually makes such things better but… if I had some sort of disease, you would have just contracted it?"

"Oh." Bokuto froze in thought. He clearly hadn't thought of that. The next instant, however he was already smiling and aiming a wink at his partner. "Well, if you _do_ have some sort of disease then at least you won't be suffering alone now."

Akaashi shook his head, but the corners of his lips traveled upwards. Bokuto's behavior was careless, but sweet and he would forgive him this time. He was healthy after all, and no harm was done.

The issue of the setter's cut hand was quickly forgotten, and Bokuto soon stepped aside, revealing the area and pronouncing proudly. "Akaashi, welcome to the hideout."

The name had perhaps been somewhat of an exaggeration, but Akaashi couldn't deny that the hidden part of the park was beautiful. It was a clearing in the middle of thickly lined trees, shaded by a single large oak tree, a small pond cutting through the middle of the still green grass. The pond was lined with neatly rounded rocks, most of them partly covered by moss, and the water itself was dark and veiled with weeds which organically grew over a part of its surface over all the years it had laid abandoned. There was even a small wooden bridge arching over the water, giving the area a more refined feel. The autumn rays of the sun reflected in the surface of the water, adding light and a welcoming aura to the clearing. Akaashi's instant thought was that it would be perfect for a picnic.

Akaashi closed his eyes. From a distance, children's laughter could be heard. Pigeons and birds which he couldn't quite recognize tweeted quiet songs into the clear air. The sun, seeping through the crowns of no longer green trees, caressed his cheeks and warmed his body. For a brief moment, he felt like it was summer all around him again.

He then opened his eyes and noticed Bokuto's warm grin.

He quickly felt like there was summer inside of him, too.

"This is really great." He finally pronounced with a soft smile, which was still far more than he usually showed. This pleased Bokuto immensely.

"I'm glad you like it." He chimed and took Akaashi's hand into his own, pulling him toward the small bridge.

It seemed old, but sturdy, the wood still capable of supporting their weight despite its unmaintained state. It groaned quietly as they set foot on it, but seemed safe otherwise. They stepped closer to the railing and rested their forearms on it. It shook lightly under the sudden weight but remained stable soon after.

The two of them gazed at the water in pleasant silence, their hands soon moving and feeling the warm hold of their partner.

"It's so peaceful here." Akaashi observed, taking a glance to the sides. The area was isolated from the rest of the park and it was almost curious how such a lovely place could have been abandoned.

"It really is." Bokuto agreed. "No families with children, no old people, no straight couples shamelessly holding hands or making out when they think no one's looking."

Akaashi gently nudged his side with his elbow, knowing perfectly well that they were a pretty shameless couple themselves, to which his partner only replied with a chuckle.

"Do you come here often?" The setter asked after a moment.

"Not really, not anymore." Bokuto shook his head. "Just once in a while when I'm near the park or I need to think a bit in a place that isn't my home."

Akaashi had to agree there – it seemed like the perfect place for thinking. The cogs in his head were already spinning, wanting to make the most out of their temporary privacy. He turned to face his partner, one of his hands reaching to his cheek, the other shifting on the railing as he slowly rose to his toes.

Suddenly a sharp pain ran through his injured hand and he pulled away with a hiss, holding his wrist with a wince.

"Are you okay?" Bokuto asked, concerned. He looked to his partner's hand and noticed that the cut began bleeding again. "Shit."

"I'm sorry." Akaashi apologized quietly, blowing air on the wound. "It was a really stupid way to get hurt."

"It was an accident, don't worry about it." Bokuto shook his head. "Do you have any bandages or something?"

Akaashi suddenly straightened his back and stared at a non-descript point in front of him. He still had band aids and hydrogen peroxide in his coat pockets from the door incident. He sighed, thinking that he should have remembered about them earlier, right after he had cut himself on the thorns. "Yeah." He finally pronounced, producing the dressing and antiseptic from his pockets.

"Great." Bokuto smiled in relief and picked up the items from his partner's hands. He then kneeled on the bridge, holding Akaashi's injured hand, opened the bottle of hydrogen peroxide and poured it on the bleeding cut. The setter groaned, his body shivering from the sudden pain, before he could calm himself with a few deep breaths.

"You okay?" Bokuto asked before blowing some air on the lightly pink tinted foam which formed on the cut.

"I'm fine." Akaashi affirmed, which was quickly met with a grin from the ace.

"You know this reminds me of something." Bokuto spoke with a confident smirk as he sat on one knee. "Akaashi Keiji, now that we have exchanged blood-"

"I've never had any of your blood. You can't really call it an exchange." Akaashi corrected.

Bokuto nodded and back-pedaled. "Now that we have established blood bonds-"

"Sounds awfully similar to incest." Akaashi raised his eyebrows, allowing the corners of his lips to follow suit as he teased his partner slightly.

Bokuto looked into the distance and tried a different approach once again. "Now that I have tasted your blood-"

"Are you a vampire now?" Akaashi mused, clearly enjoying himself.

"Maybe I am!" Bokuto immediately bared his fangs and hissed before jabbing a finger between his partner's ribs. Akaashi squealed in surprise, causing both of them to erupt in laughter.

"Anyway," the setter finally collected himself, his cheeks lightly flushed from laughing. "you were saying?"

"Now that… we're here," Bokuto finally decided to go with the simplest version. "Would you do me the honor and… date me?"

Akaashi blinked in confusion, his forehead already wrinkling lightly. "But we're already dating?"

"I know." Bokuto laughed and carefully pasted the large band aid on his partner's injury. "I would have said 'marry me' but I think it's a bit early for that."

"Oh." Akaashi opened his mouth as he finally understood the reference and that Bokuto's kneeling was alike the one someone would perform when proposing. He suddenly felt flustered for taking so long to recognize the scene. "Yes, I'll gladly date you."

"I'm always happy to hear it again." Bokuto grinned and stood up, handing the bottle of antiseptic back to his partner. "I'm happy that we get to be _boyfriends_." He loved the sound of the word and loved even more how he could use it to describe himself and Akaashi. It still made his chest feel warm inside, made the corners of his lips joyfully tilt upwards.

"So am I." Akaashi agreed and scooted closer to Bokuto.

"And don't worry about the marriage bit too much." Bokuto quickly added. "I don't want to pressure you into anything and we're still young and we have plenty of time to figure those things out."

"That's alright." Akaashi waved his hand dismissively. "I get that you were kidding. We still have years until we figure out who we want to marry. Let's take it easy till then and see if we could stand each other for long enough."

Bokuto chuckled at that one. The setter had a point, considering how even the most lovey-dovey couples could come crashing down once the two people got sick of each other. He could probably get offended at Akaashi implying that their sweet, carefree, and extremely affectionate state wouldn't last forever, but he was in a good mood today and didn't want to waste his time on overthinking.

They were happy now. The world was beautiful. They adored each other's company. This was not the setting to worry about potential future conflicts.

"I'm really glad to be with you." Akaashi admitted quietly, and as simple as the truth was, it elicited a bright grin from the ace.

As though to affirm his point further, Akaashi cupped Bokuto's cheek with his healthy hand, closed the distance between them and finally pressed his lips into his. They were warm, warmer than even the unusually warm October day and wet and it was that pleasant wetness that helped them move against one another. Akaashi felt as his heart beat faster when Bokuto wrapped his arms around him, encompassing his lips with his own in abandon as he clung to the fabric of his coat. Bokuto was gentle now, far softer than when they were at home and he was consumed by need and Akaashi matched his pace. The setter focused on exchanging the light nips, forgetting the world around them, letting their connected lips be the only thing that mattered.

He did not notice that they were no longer alone.

And then he heard the voices of the strangers.

He stilled.

Bokuto soon followed suit.

They stood still, their lips resting on one another as they listened to the strangers.

They were kids.

"Ewwww." One boy exclaimed. "They're kissing."

"Aren't they both guys?" Another one asked. "That's gross."

"Yeah, it's _weird._ " The first boy added.

Bokuto immediately broke the kiss, turned away from Akaashi and buried his face in the bend of his elbow which rested on the railing. The setter could see that he was already shaking.

"Bokuto-san…" he whispered and laid a hand on his partner's back. Bokuto pushed him away the next instant. Akaashi sighed.

He turned around to find two boys, a few meters away from them standing on the lawn by the thick bushes. Akaashi concluded that they must have come to their secret hideout to play. They looked about nine or ten years old. That didn't mean Akaashi would go easy on them.

He stomped down the bridge and in their direction, his fists tightly curled by his sides. The boys seemed to sense the danger approaching and scrambled to leave back through the bushes. Akaashi wouldn't let them. "Stop right there."

They froze, watching with wide eyes and fear spread across their faces as the setter approached them. When he was only a few steps away, one of the boys looked like he was about to cry. Akaashi took a deep breath. "Why did you say that?"

Both of them looked down at the ground, neither particularly willing to answer the question. Akaashi waited for a moment. The boys could have run, could have said something snarky and idiotic like kids usually did, could have easily defied him and said that they could do what they want, could have shrugged him off and acted like they knew better, but they simply stood there as though in front of a teacher or a parent – waiting to be scolded but not willing to apologize so easily.

Akaashi never considered himself intimidating, never even attempted to use the little power he had, but only now he realized that he had genuine authority over younger kids – most likely even first years at Fukurodani – and he could use it to at least make them think. He never considered himself tall, having mostly spent time with volleyball players which were commonly way above average height, but now standing in front of the children he realized that his 182 centimeters must have been somewhat frightening to them, to say the least.

"Why did you say that?" Akaashi repeated, now calmer, kneeling on the grass to enter the kids' field of view.

"Well, it is weird." The boy who had previously said they were gross spoke. He was a little taller than his friend.

"Why do you think it's weird?" Akaashi asked.

"Because… Because it's always boys and girls who kiss, right? Two boys don't kiss each other. It's just weird." The boy explained.

"What if I told you that boys could kiss each other? It's just less common than boys and girls. But there are boys like that. Some boys don't like girls."

"But I don't like girls either." The smaller boy now spoke and widened his eyes in terror. "Will I kiss boys, too?"

"No, no, don't worry about that." Akaashi forced a light chuckle. 'Forced' because he didn't feel like laughing, but chuckling anyway because there was something cute about the child's obliviousness. "It's not something you know until you are older. Most boys your age probably dislike girls."

The smaller boy nodded now, pondering his words.

"Do you think it's weird just because you rarely see it?" Akaashi pressed on.

"Yeah, maybe." The taller boy shrugged. "I've never seen two boys kiss before."

Akaashi sighed, aware of how backwards his country was in even things as simple as showing homosexuals in mass media.

"That aside, can you tell me why you _said_ it?" he continued, addressing both of the boys now.

"I don't know." The taller answered. "That's just what I thought so I said it."

"And you?" Akaashi looked to the smaller boy.

"Same…" He shrugged.

"Did you take a moment to think how it would make us feel?" Akaashi got to the point and emphasized the word 'us'. The boys shook their heads. "Well, take a look at my friend over there."

Bokuto was very clearly crying, his back heaving up and down, the stifled sobs partly reaching where Akaashi stood with the boys. They quickly returned to looking at their shoes, silent, not knowing what to say.

"What you said hurt him. It made him very sad. Would you like to hear someone yelling how weird and gross you are?"

The boys shook their heads and the taller one spoke. "No… But we wouldn't cry about it either."

Akaashi bit his lip, trying to resist the wave of anger. Getting mad at the kids wouldn't help his cause.

"My friend is really sensitive. And you can say that you don't care; I know that you don't." The setter added, before one of them could pronounce the phrase which would upset him even further. "But look at him and tell me that you're happy to see him like that. Because I'm not. It makes me really sad, actually."

The boys were silent again, but now, Akaashi could at least tell that they felt bad for what they did.

"Can you go apologize to him?" He asked softly.

The boys remained unmoved, either too afraid or not repentant enough to do it. Akaashi sighed and produced a wallet from his back pocket.

"I'll give you each 150 yen if you go apologize to him." He offered, finally, showing them the coins. "You can buy some candy with it or play gacha, or do whatever you want. It will be yours."

The boys finally looked up at him, interested, but still uncertain.

"I still think kissing is gross, even if it's a boy and a girl." The smaller boy worked up his courage to speak. "Why would you want someone's spit in your mouth? Adults are weird."

"Yeah, I agree, adults _are_ weird." Akaashi smiled in an attempt to seem more friendly. "And you don't have to understand it yet – you still have a few years. Would you apologize to my friend though?"

The two boys shifted their weight from foot to foot, still unconvinced.

"Please?" Akaashi added.

"Okay." The taller boy finally agreed. "But give us the money now. We promise not to run away."

Akaashi eyed him carefully because children their age were sneaky bastards who didn't much care for promises, but he decided to give them the benefit of the doubt. In the worst case scenario, he could grab their collars, preventing them from making off with the money.

He finally nodded, fingered through the coin compartment of his wallet for a moment, finding two 100 yen coins and two 50 yen coins soon enough. He lay the promised money into each boy's outstretched hand and watched as they put them in the pockets of their trousers.

"Come on." The taller prodded his friend, already taking a few steps towards Bokuto but giving him a moment to catch up. Akaashi followed, staying about a meter or so behind them.

"Sir." The taller boy began, tugging at the hem of Bokuto's jacket. It was about as high as he could reach. "Excuse us, sir."

Bokuto reluctantly lifted his head and turned his neck to face them. His face was red, his eyes swollen, his cheeks wet. Akaashi felt the tightening pain in his chest. No one should have to see him like this.

"What?" The ace threw aggressively with a snivel. He was in no mood to talk.

"Um, we're… we're sorry." The taller boy spoke, his head bowed. "We didn't mean to hurt you. We apologize. Right?"

Here he nudged the smaller one with his elbow. "Y-Yes." He stuttered. "We're sorry. We didn't mean it."

Bokuto looked up at Akaashi and smiled, then turned to the boys and patted both of their heads. "It's okay." He assured, wiping his cheeks. "I'm not angry at you."

"No, but you're sad." The smaller boy insisted and looked up. "And that's even worse, because we didn't really want to make you sad. So we're sorry."

Bokuto grinned now and Akaashi could tell that it was genuine. "Okay." He repeated. "I appreciate your apology."

"Just try to think before talking like that about someone who's different again, alright?" Akaashi added from behind them, his arms crossed on his chest.

"We will!" The taller boy nodded, grabbed his friend's hand and ran off, through the bushes and out of their hideout. Akaashi had a distinct feeling that, like most kids, they _wouldn't_. Perhaps one of them (or even both) would become bullies one day because it was so common and there was no way of telling whether one would be the victim or the abuser. He wished he could make sure that those kids never teased anyone for being gay, never made fun of anyone for that reason at least, but he had no way of telling; he was a stranger after all, what sort of authority did he have over them? He doubted that they understood much, and expected it all to fade from their minds soon enough, leaving them ignorant to same sex couples. That seemed to be how it usually went down. Akaashi, even if he wanted to, wouldn't save Japan from their discrimination of homosexuals one child at a time. He wouldn't even try. For the moment it was a lost cause. He understood it as well as he understood his own culture. Some matters couldn't be changed so easily.

"Akaashi," Bokuto called him back to the present with a light smile, his face considerably less red now. "Thanks. Thanks for going so far to make me feel better."

"Don't mention it." Akaashi shook his head. "I was upset at them, too."

"It was dumb of me to cry." Bokuto turned his head and looked off into the distance, his voice beginning to tremble. "Which eighteen-year-old cries because of what some stupid kids say? It's so embarrassing."

New tears slowly rolled down his cheeks, retracing the trails he had just wiped off. Akaashi brought his arms around him and held him close.

"I'm such a joke. I'm a shame to you, Akaashi." He sobbed quietly.

Akaashi only stroked down his back and reassured him. "You're not a shame to me at all. In fact, you're my pride. I'm proud of you."

Bokuto fell silent for a moment, speaking only when he caught his breath. "There's nothing to be proud of about me."

"You say that because you can't see yourself from my perspective. And I know just how much you've improved." Akaashi declared firmly. And it was all true – he was there to witness the change in Bokuto, to see his development; how he went from cowering on his bathroom floor and affirming he wasn't gay, rejecting the idea completely, then slowly accepting it, agreeing to date his friend, refusing to hold hands in public, then holding hands whenever they could, slowly relaxing into the setting and growing more confident of who he was and what they now were. All through it all, he was there to see it. And he hoped to be there to what would happen next.

"Really?" Bokuto asked, incredulous and Akaashi was relieved to hear it. It seemed to be a magical word between them which signified that Bokuto was ready to calm down.

"Yes, really. You have nothing to worry about. I love you the way you are." Akaashi pronounced slowly so that his partner could properly hear each meaningful word.

Bokuto wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, smiled and echoed. "I love you, too. I really do. You're _amazing._ "

"Not at all." Akaashi shook his head modestly. "But I'm always happy to hear that from you."

Sharing another warm smile, they turned back to the railing and leaned on it once more, enjoying the warm day and the sight of nature in a comfortable silence. Akaashi slid his hand closer to Bokuto's and soon their fingers were intertwined and they exchanged soft pecks on their lips.

After some time of this activity, Bokuto was the first one to speak. "You know, when we're like this, I sort of feel like I'd like to stay with you forever."

Akaashi didn't quite know how to respond, but the words seemed to leave his mouth regardless: "Yeah, I know what you mean. I also feel that I would want to spend a long, long time with you."

He would have most likely been embarrassed by such a phrase on any other occasion but now it somehow seemed fitting. Bokuto beamed at him and he couldn't help replying with a smile himself.

"But you know it wouldn't be easy?" Akaashi felt the need to add after a moment. Because not every moment would be this beautiful.

"Life is never easy. At least we would have each other to make it more bearable." Bokuto shrugged with a loving smile and spoke matter-of-factly. Akaashi was certain he was blushing now.

"So, what do you say," the ace said, pulling his hand out of Akaashi's and forming it into a fist pointing in his direction. "For the future?"

Akaashi quickly understood the reference and almost chuckled. He mimicked the shape of his hand, pressed their fists together and confidently pronounced. "For the future."

The next instant, they connected in a slow, fond kiss, but Akaashi felt like he was far away.

Because now they had a _future_.

Even if their relationship would last only until graduation, only a few more months, or perhaps even less, maybe a few weeks, all of those possibilities were in the _future._

The future could also potentially offer them marriage one day and a happy life together until they were old and wrinkled and exchanged pointless arguments only to smile at each other and wave it off a few minutes later.

Whatever _future_ they now had, he wanted to be there and see it for himself.

He was certain it was juvenile and unrealistic, but he silently hoped it was the one in which they stayed together for years to come.

He had a feeling that Bokuto felt the same.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~~What? What do you mean that I can't give a cheesy fluffy ending to a story that began with shameless smut? I do what I want! ;D~~
> 
> Honestly guys, all of this feels so unreal when I think about it. As I'm sure you know, this whole fic started with one chapter which I intended to be a smutty one-shot. That's what I thought at first - I was thinking I'd really like to see some sexy Skype sex between these two babes, so that's what I wrote and then it... escalated? It's been 7 months since then (apparently I uploaded this one day before Valentine's day and never realized it haha) and this story has exceeded all my expectations and grown into something I never imagined it would be. Which is actually pretty funny, considering that I'm the one who wrote it and should have probably seen it coming. I think once I decided to expand on this story, I thought it would be like 4-5 chapters, maybe 20k words long. WELL LOOK HOW WRONG I WAS.
> 
> But even if I'm still incredulous about it all, I'm incredibly happy. Because you guys wanted to read this! There is nothing that makes me happier than people who genuinely want to keep reading my stories and even go out of their way to leave me kudos or comments (I will always love you if you do <3)! Because as much as I'm writing to satisfy myself, it is also greatly flattering to know that I am not the only one enjoying this sort of portrayal of the characters, this sort of setting for their actions, this sort of development of them and their relationship etc etc. I genuinely love writing, and if someone can enjoy what I produce then for me that's a huge success already. I feel like writing should be about that - enjoying what you do and allowing your readers to feel similarly.
> 
> I'm getting really sappy here, but I just want you to know how important this fic was for me (though, as you know now, I never expected it to be so). To give you perspective: it is the longest story I have EVER written (the longest I've written before was like 20k), and especially written consecutively for a few months (this fic took me most of my evenings from early June to early September to write), and I am happy to have done this effort because I am certain that it was not in vain. Perhaps it wasn't my best story ever, and maybe even in a few months I'll look at it and feel embarrassed for getting so excited about it, but I feel like it was of huge importance to my development and I feel like I learned a lot about myself and about these characters through the course of writing it. I'm sure it'll always have a special place in my heart.
> 
> Now, I'm sure some of you will feel like the story didn't have to end here and could have gone on longer, and I agree, it could have. But by now I feel like most of my good/amusing/entertaining ideas for this set-up are drained and I wouldn't want to force myself to keep writing if I felt like it wasn't as good as it used to be. I also quite like this ending, but maybe that's just me. xD
> 
> Howeeeever, if you enjoyed this fic and would want to see more BokuAka from me then fear not, because I hope to begin a new fic (another multi-chap one, but not a continuation of this one) some time in October, God (and uni) permit. So if you've grown to like me as much as I like you then this is not "goodbye", only "see you soon". :)
> 
> And I'll finish here because this is getting way too long and most people probably stopped reading. One last time: Thank you from the bottom of my heart for following this fic (and commenting, because that actually gives me life) because it really meant a lot to me. I hope to see you again sometime in the future!


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